Team Who
by Michaela-Le-Mongoola
Summary: Begins at the end of Evolution of the Daleks. Dalek Sec survives and joins the Doctor and Martha on their adventures. Series 3 told through the eyes of the Doctor, Martha, Sec and eventually Jack.Rated T for mild language and violence. 10thDoctor Story
1. Away from New York

Hello folks! My first Doctor Who fanfiction, so I hope you enjoy it. But first, the legal stuffage...

I do not own any of the characters, items or scenarios (beside the events between the real episodes) from the Doctor Who story. They are owned by the all powerful BBC and created by people far more talented than I. I am making no profit from this story.

Thanks! 0

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**CHAPTER ONE**

_Sec _

I knelt on the stage, powerless and full of hatred and despair. My Daleks, weapons primed, called the Doctor forward. He made his way over the seats and stood before us, glaring with all the anger that I felt. 'You will die, Doctor.' Dalek Thay said. 'It's the beginning of a new age.'

'Planet Earth will become New Skaro.' Dalek Jast continued.

I could not believe this was happening. I had led them for these many centuries and they had listened. And now, when I had tried to help them, tried to keep us alive, they betrayed me.

The Doctor spoke out. 'Oh, and what a world with anything just the slightest bit different ground into the dirt.' His words held meaning for me, but not for my Daleks. It pained me just to think that I was once exactly like them; emotionless. 'That's Dalek Sec.' He continued, acknowledging me. 'Don't you remember? The cleverest Dalek ever and look what you've done to him!'

My Daleks made no sound. They only looked on. 'Is that your new empire?' The Doctor questioned them. Still my Daleks did not answer. 'Is that the foundation for a whole new civilization?' He looked at me with pity as he saw what I had been reduced to; a chained animal.

I had to speak. They would not listen to the Doctor, no matter how much truth he spoke of, but perhaps they would still listen to me. Perhaps they still held some regard for me. 'My Daleks.' My voice was weak, breathless. I had been drained of all my energy, something that I had not experienced in many years. 'Just understand this; if you choose death and destruction then death and destruction will choose you.' I looked to both of them, willing them to understand. The chain around my neck was heavy, making my movements difficult.

'Incorrect. We always survive.' Dalek Thay replied, making it obvious to me that they believed themselves invincible. I wanted to scream at them that we were not invincible. If we were, why had we needed to resort to our experimentation? 'Now we will destroy our greatest enemy, the Doctor!' Dalek Jast screeched. I felt a heavy shadow descend upon me. They could not kill the Doctor! He had tried to help us in our time of need and for that act of kindness he needed to be spared. 'But he can help you!' I cried. The Doctor looked at me and I knew he was willing me to be quiet, to avoid endangering myself.

'The Doctor must die.' Dalek Jast continued. This was madness and I had to stop it. He could help them if they only let him! 'No, I beg you. Don't!' I crawled in front of the line of fire and stood, hearing only the loud screech of 'EXTERMINATE!' as I did.

Then there was nothing but pain. I heard my scream, my loud and piercing scream as a pain like nothing I had ever felt before ran through my entire body. I could see nothing, hear nothing except my pained howl and then I felt my body hit the ground with a dull smash.

I lay in pain, my body broken in ways I could not imagine. I could barely open my eye but what I saw made me feel some faint hope. The Doctor was alive, looking on me with disbelief. 'Dalek Sec?' He called to me. I moved my hand as much as I could to show I was still alive. His body relaxed at the sight of my movement but was again tense when he faced what were once my Daleks. 'Your own leader. The only creature who might have led you out of the darkness and you strike him down!' He turned to the Dalek humans. 'Did you see what they did? Do you see what a Dalek really is?' He kept his voice quiet but I heard the anger that he wanted to let free. 'So,' He continued. 'If I'm going to die let's give the new boys a shot, eh? The Dalek humans, their first blood! Go on.' He snarled, lifting out his arms. 'Doctor, do not…' I started, fighting back the bleak darkness, but stopped when he gave me a quick nod of his head. Then I knew he had a plan. He looked back to the Daleks. 'BAPTISE THEM!'

'Dalek humans, take aim.' Dalek Thay commanded. The Dalek humans primed their weapons and aimed for the Doctor who remained calm and still. His friends looked on in horror, thinking that he would soon be dead. 'What are you waiting for?' He asked. 'Give the command.' I lay and watched with dread as I heard 'EXTERMINATE!' cried above me. The Doctor flinched, his friends gave horrified shouts. There was no fire. Dalek Thay called to the Dalek Humans again but there was still no fire. They stood, gazing blankly at the Doctor who had a look of triumph on his face.

'Why?' One of the Dalek humans asked.

'Daleks do not question orders!'

'But why?'

'You will stop this!'

'But why?' The Dalek human looked to the Doctor.

'You must not question!'

'But you are not our master and we… we are not Daleks.'

I was taken back by this. So the experiment had failed? What had gone wrong? 'No, you're not.' The Doctor started, looking to all the Dalek humans. 'And you never will be. Sorry.' He turned back to the Daleks. 'I got in the way of the lightning strike. Time Lord DNA got all mixed up. Just that little bit of freedom.' With this he looked at me and smiled. I felt happiness for the first time in my life. He had given my Dalek humans what I wanted them to have, something that I feared had been robbed from them.

'If they will not obey then they must die.' Dalek Jast cried, taking fire on the Dalek human who had been brave enough to speak out. 'GET DOWN!' The Doctor cried to his friends before he dived to the floor, hiding behind the seats, his companions doing the same. I watched fire from both sides fly above me, screams from my Dalek humans and then both Daleks die in an explosion of burning debris that scorched my already broken body. I wanted to scream with the extra pain but I did not have the energy.

Instead I lay, waiting for death to consume me. I welcomed it. For my race had not taken heed and had brought itself to this. My Dalek humans would go into the world and be free. The last of my old race had to die. It was the only way things would ever be right. I let the room around me sway, let the sound fade into a distant echo. I heard the Doctor's comforts to the Dalek humans and was thankful for it. He would help them. I knew he would.

I heard the cries of the Doctor's companion, Martha Jones. A training doctor, he told me in the Trans-genetics laboratory. She would help him tend to the injured. 'Doctor! Look!' I heard her cry. I did not know to what she was referring but I was sure it was something important. It did not matter though. My work was done.

I gave what I thought to be my last breath until I felt something touch me. My pain increased at the contact and I flinched. 'Dalek Sec! Oh, don't die on me now!' It was the Doctor. I managed to open my eye and look at him. I tried to speak but I couldn't; I was beyond speech. 'Look, stay calm and don't waste any energy you have left, understand?' He said, signalling to Martha Jones. I didn't want this. I wanted to die. But I could not tell him. He lifted my broken body into a sitting position and I managed to hiss in pain. 'It's alright. You're going to be fine.' He said, producing his sonic device and placing it against the steel collar around my neck. Martha Jones arrived next to us. 'Martha, find me some water, quickly!' The sonic device broke the lock and the collar fell to the floor with a crash that rang in my head painfully. The shackles around my wrists soon followed. Martha returned with a plate of water which she gave to the Doctor. 'Drink this.' He put the object to my lips and tipped the water down my throat. I coughed from not expecting it to enter my mouth so quickly. 'There we go, now we have to get everyone out of here…'

There was a large grouped howl from my Dalek humans. I looked on in horror as they fell to the ground, lifeless. Dalek Caan had destroyed them. I knew he had. 'They can't, they can't. THEY CAN'T!' The Doctor cried as he saw them fall to the ground. Martha shook with shock. 'What happened? What was that!?'

'They killed them rather than let them live.' The Doctor replied.

I had not been able to make a sound up until this point, but the cry of anguish that escaped me shocked even myself. My people, all of my people, my hard work, my hope for the future, was gone forever.

'A new species. A brand new species and that thing killed them!' The Doctor screamed with anger. That was the last thing I heard before I felt, heard and saw no more.

* * *

_The Doctor_

We had left New York, Martha and I saying our farewells to friends who would not be forgotten. I had been able to help Lazlo recover his health in the Trans-genetic laboratory but Dalek Sec would need more than that. He needed treatment that we could only give him in the TARDIS and over a long period of time. I looked at his broken form, lying still as death in bed with all manner of medical instruments attached to him.

My heart broke for this creature. He was the only Dalek to have ever been brave enough to completely change himself for the greater good, the only one to have ever tried something more radical than previous attempts to save his race and this was what it had led to; his being close to death and being in the knowledge that what he had worked so hard for was gone. What's more, he was the only one survivor of his race of hybrid Daleks. Just like I was the only Time Lord.

Dalek Caan had escaped and I hated myself for forgetting that it could use the emergency temporal shift. I looked at Dalek Sec again. Even in stasis I could see the pain, both mental and physical, that he was going through, pain that Caan had added to.

For days we had travelled, landing anywhere, not knowing where to stay and in that time I had found that I had a great respect for Dalek Sec and this made his pain worse for me to endure.

Martha entered the medical room and tapped my arm. 'A watched pot never boils.'

'I know.'

'Then come and have a cup of tea.'

'Hmm.'

'Doctor.'

'Yeah, alright.' I had no choice. She had already begun to pull me from the room. Martha led me into the kitchen and put the cup in my hands. 'Drink up!' She smiled. But I could see through that smile. She was forcing it.

'How did he survive?' I asked myself as I put my cup of tea to my lips. Martha raised an eyebrow at me. 'What?'

'That shot should have killed him. How did he survive?'

'Perhaps because he's a Dalek?'

'No, it's not that. I've seen Daleks kill other Daleks before.'

Martha looked into her cup and clicked her tongue. I didn't understand it. Dalek Sec shouldn't even be in the TARDIS now. He should be buried in the ground, peaceful and calm. And why was I letting him live? I knew he wanted to die. I had seen it in his eye back at the theatre, heard it when he cried over his loss. Why was I making him suffer? Was it curiosity? Did I want to see what he was capable of now he had hands and feet? I shook my head. Why was I doing this?

'Martha?' She looked at me. 'What do you think of euthanasia?' I watched her mouth drop open. 'Doctor you can't. If he dies that's his entire species gone!'

'Martha, he is suffering!' I pointed back towards the medical room. 'That poor creature is suffering and I'm prolonging it.'

'There's still a chance for him to start again but there won't be if you let him die.'

'Martha, there is no chance! We will never have that amount of gamma radiation again!'

'THEN DO IT IF YOU WANT! DO IT! CAUSE A GENOCIDE!'

She left the kitchen in a rush to get to her room, leaving me alone to think about what I was about to do. I made my way to the medical room, running my hand nervously through my hair as I did, an odd habit that I really wanted to stop. I made my way inside, looking over the last of the human Daleks in the universe. I thought about what I was to do to end this suffering that I was causing and I found myself reaching for the machine that was keeping him alive. I lay my hand on it and bit my lip, having an argument with my conscious.

'_Go on. Do it.'_

'_No, I can't.'_

'_Do it, man. Do it now.'_

'_He deserves to live.'_

'_He doesn't deserve this.'_

'_He could find something in life.'_

'_You are turning insane my friend.'_

I couldn't do it. I couldn't cause a genocide. I couldn't bring myself to kill a creature that I now held in high regard, even though I once detested him. Not even that past hatred could make me do it. I took my hand away from the machine and looked at the broken genius that lay as still as death. 'I'm sorry. I can't.' Taking one last look at him I left and made my way to the attic where I could sit and think about nothing in that vast and empty warehouse like space.

The attic isn't the warmest place in the TARDIS but it's really the only place that's quiet enough for me at times. I lay on my back and stared at the high ceiling trying to clear my head but all I could see in my mind's eye was sped up images of the events in New York. Sounds rang in my head, blurring with the images and making a fevered dream from which I couldn't escape. It was driving me mad. This plan hadn't worked as well as I thought it would. I needed a distraction.

I sat in the TARDIS wardrobe and fiddled with the pockets of an old pair of trousers. I sat in the kitchen and munched away on biscuits. The game room didn't do anything for me. And so I found myself lying, once again, on the floor of the attic. The Zero room came to mind. Perhaps I should fix it up and move Dalek Sec into there? It would make things easier for him. It did wonders for me. I ran my hand through my hair again. 'What to do, what to do, what to do?' I rubbed my eyes, walked around, sat down and walked around some more. This was going to be one difficult recovery.

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Hope you liked that chapter. Feel free to flame if you don't think something's accurate. I welcome constructive criticism.


	2. The Zero Room in Leeds

****I do not own any of the characters, items or scenarios (beside the events between the real episodes) from the Doctor Who story. They are owned by the all powerful BBC and created by people far more talented than I. I am making no profit from this story.

Thanks! 0

**

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**CHAPTER TWO**

_Martha_

I hadn't seen the Doctor so anxious before. We'd known each other for months – well, I think it was months – and this was the first time I'd seen him at a loose end. I could see he wanted to help that Dalek thing but there was no more help that could be given. We'd done everything we could for him and we had to wait and see if he actually survived. I had been to the medical room myself many times to check on the Dalek and each time I did I saw someone who clearly didn't want to survive. But he had to. He, like the Doctor, was one on his own, an endangered species if you like, so he needed to live.

I didn't believe what the Doctor had said about the gamma strike. There would be another point in time when there would be a big enough amount of gamma radiation for the Dalek to use again. We'd just have to help him find it.

I watched the Doctor run back and forth trying to pre-occupy himself with various tasks and he eventually decided we should land. We arrived in 1990's Leeds.

I'd always wanted to visit Leeds. A few of my friends had been to the north of England before and said it was nice. I had to agree, it was. We were on the roof of the Queen's hotel, looking over the train station. I ran errands for the Doctor, like buying food and some new clothes for the TARDIS wardrobe though mostly he made me go and have a walk in the city centre. I knew why he wanted me to. He was wanting some alone time to think about things. Though he wouldn't admit it, I knew he wasn't just worried about the Dalek in the TARDIS; he was worried about the Dalek that was out there, flying about in time and space.

I'd done almost everything in Leeds; I'd gone shopping, visited the art gallery and the Royal Armouries, the sculpture park… you name it. Now I wanted to see something new but we couldn't leave. The Doctor was too busy tending to the sick Dalek whose condition had become drastically worse in the space of a day.

I returned one day from a successful food shopping trip to enter a construction site. The TARDIS was full of noises that belonged to heavy building work. 'Oh, OK.' I said, shrugging it off. It was just another odd part of this TARDIS – like the time I found the cinema room when I was looking for the bathroom.

Headed for the kitchen, I passed the medical room and had a quick check on the Dalek. He was still in stasis. Still had that defeated look on his face. I felt sorry for him, I really did.

Once in the kitchen I unpacked the bags and put the food in the right places (I'd mixed up the cupboards last time and the Doctor complained that he couldn't find his biscuits). The noise still carried on. This was stupid. It was going to disturb the Dalek for God's sake! I finished my jobs and went in pursuit of the Doctor and the source of the noise. He'd have to be the one making it. I found the source of the noise behind a locked door. I cursed him. 'Doctor! Doctor!' It wasn't any use. The noise was too loud. I covered my eyes and skulked away to my room to bury my head under a pillow.

-------- Doctor • Who -------

I'd moved about the TARDIS all day with no sign of the Doctor. It was just that stupid racket that he was making that let me know he was actually there. I'd been in the cinema room for an hour watching any film I could lay my hands on when it stopped. The noise was gone! I clapped and danced in my seat before sprinting out of the room.

I saw him running down the corridor before me and I shouted and chased after him. 'Hey! Where the bloody hell have you been all day!?' He dived into the medical room. 'You…' I was about to go in after him when he emerged with Dalek Sec and the bed. 'You can kill me later, Martha!' He brushed past me and hurried back the way he had come. I looked back in the medical room and found all the machines that had been keeping the Dalek alive were turned off. 'DOCTOR!' I couldn't believe it! He was going through with his euthanasia plan! 'Doctor! NO!' I chased after him and found him going in the room that had been locked earlier. The one he'd been working in. The door slammed shut in my face and locked. 'NO!' My fists collided with the door. I'd wait for him.

It wasn't a long wait. A minute later he was back. I caught a small glimpse of the room beyond before the door closed. There was nothing in there from what I could see. 'What are you doing? You've killed him!'

'No I haven't.'

'What?'

'That, my dear lady, is the Zero room. A place where the universe doesn't exist.'

'Eh?'

'It'll help him recover and keep him at peace. It did for me when I needed it.'

Zero room? What the heck was that? How could the universe not exist in there? My head spun in a painful and angry blur. 'I'm going to kill you for giving me a headache anyway.'

He disappeared again after I hit him very hard. Lonely, I sat in the living room and listened to some weird band from the future. It was better than the quiet.

An hour or so later he re-appeared with a little box for me. 'Peace treaty?' He gave it to me and I eyed it in suspicion. 'It won't bite. I promise.' I opened the box and found a little model dog made of wood and metal inside.

* * *

_The Doctor_

Martha had been angry. The bruise on my arm was a sentiment to that. I hid away in the attic so she couldn't get me again and what was worse was that I was dying for a cup of tea but I knew the angry little hurricane below would be waiting for me to poke my head outside. Mind games. They are not fun. Instead I gathered together some small pieces of wood and metal and started to build a present to bribe her with.

When I gave it to her she smiled and picked it up in her hand. 'Aw, did you make it?'

'Yeah.'

'Cheers.' She smiled.

'Well?'

'You are forgiven.'

I could have kissed the carpet with relief.

That night we sat in the cinema room watching Pirates of the Caribbean. 'Have you ever met Johnny Depp?' I was asked half way through the second film. 'Nah, never needed to, to be honest.' What an odd and funny question to be asking, I thought. But as I went to grab some popcorn I was interrupted again.

'That's boring.'

'Oh, you call the moon boring? Meeting Shakespeare boring? Future and past New York boring…?'

'I get the picture. And no I don't find them boring at all.'

I smirked and stole a handful of popcorn from her bag. She smacked the back of my hand after I ate it all with impunity. 'Greedy. You'll be as sick as a parrot.'

'Actually, no I won't because I like snacks and snacks like me.'

She rolled her eyes and moved the popcorn away from my line of sight. 'Now who's being boring?' I chirped, pulling a puppy face.

'Shut up, you!'

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Hope you liked. Feel free to comment. - 


	3. Sec Awakes

****I do not own any of the characters, items or scenarios (beside the events between the real episodes) from the Doctor Who story. They are owned by the all powerful BBC and created by people far more talented than I. I am making no profit from this story.

Thanks! 0

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**CHAPTER THREE**

_Sec_

I was floating. I had no weight to keep me down. Was I alive? Had I just woken from a terrible fever dream and all of what I had seen was in the imagination? Was I still in my travel unit, a pure Dalek? No, I realised as I moved my fingers, expecting to find only tentacles. It had happened.

I opened my eye to the world around me. There was no universe here. No air, no dark or light. Nothing. Yet, I had survived in this space. Or had I? It was possible that I was dead and that I had finally found my fate. But I knew it wasn't that.

Turning, I saw a door and made my way towards it in a mixture of differing speeds as there was no time to restrain me. I pushed the door open with my mutated hand and fell to the floor of an unknown building. The whole universe had returned and now I felt pain. I felt sadness. I felt alone. I lay shaking on the floor, disgusted with my own weakness. I did not feel much of the physical pain now. Now it was the pain of realisation. I was the first and last of my kind. I hadn't died with them like I had wanted to.

'Poor guy. Should I make him a drink?'

'I'd wait a bit, then see.'

Voices. Echoing. I heard voices. I opened my eye, my vision blurred, and found I was lying in a new room with the Doctor and his companion looking down upon me. 'Hey, Dalek Sec. How are you feeling?' The Doctor asked me, holding my wrist to check my pulse. 'I feel alone.' He nodded in understanding. 'Do you think you'll be able to drink anything?'

'Perhaps.' My voice was so weak, so pathetic.

'Martha, make us all a cup of tea, would you please?'

Martha Jones smiled at me before leaving. The Doctor turned to me after she had left. 'I know what it feels like, Dalek Sec. If you need to talk to me…'

'Thank you, Doctor. But please, do not call me Dalek Sec.' I looked away from him and snarled in anger. 'I am no longer a pure Dalek.'

'Sec it is then.'

I nodded in approval before calming myself and allowing the Doctor to support and lead me from the room, taking the first steps I had done for a long while.

* * *

_Months later (in TARDIS time, that is)_

_The Doctor_

Everything was back to normal. Well, as normal as anything will be whilst I'm still around. Sec had learnt as much as he could about human culture with Martha's help and he'd recovered splendidly. I'd even made him a device that made him look human. It looked exactly like a watch (it told the time too) and whilst he wore it he looked exactly as Diagoras had done before the experiment. I called this little device the Sonic Wristwatch (which Martha told me was highly original) and Sec kept it with him wherever he went should he have needed it.

His emotions were a hard thing for him to learn about. Though we had finally seen him laugh and smile after two months of misery, he was still noticeably lonely. As I had said to Martha, his feelings were heightened and this made that even worse for him. Martha had complained about this until I told her I had been the same when I found out I was the last of my species. It would take time for him to come round and find he wasn't truly alone after all; he had friends.

Friends. Strange. A Dalek and a Time Lord as friends. I never would have seen that coming. Not in a million years.

After we had left Leeds we landed in modern day Blackpool. Martha commanded it. I'd suggested Scarbourgh, advising her that it was a lot more peaceful. Sec had watched our "discussion" with a large grin on his face, knowing that Martha was going to win this argument. She did, and made a point of reminding me every day until I piloted the TARDIS to a remote car park, away from the bustle of the crowded streets.

We'd had a great day out. Sec had done a good job of blending in with the holiday crowd, wearing his Sonic Wristwatch. There were a few times he messed up (most notably examining the nostrils of a donkey on the beach), but besides that he was perfect. Martha had a wail of a time, building a sandcastle, burying me under a bucketful of seaweed and dragging poor Sec onto the Valhalla ride in the Pleasure Beach several times. I'd only been on the once but avoided getting seriously wet by covering myself with my jacket. Those two looked like drowned rats by the end of our day out. It made me laugh watching them shuffle up the path, trying not to move their arms and legs as their clothes hadn't dried off yet. And the best bit was Martha couldn't chase me down to hit me. A miracle had occurred! My arm was safe for another day!

That evening after we'd dined down on KFC I sat in the living room on my own, thinking about Martha. She wanted to go home. I had to take her back now. Sec entered the room a few minutes after I had and immediately noticed my miserable, thinking form. 'Doctor? What's wrong?'

'Just thinking.'

He sat in the chair opposite me, his one eye squinted in confusion. 'I'm taking Martha home tomorrow. I told her in New York that I'd take her back after our little trip which turned out to be not so little after all.' I rubbed my eyes and waited for Sec's response. I didn't get one. He merely examined me. 'I just don't… oh, never mind.'

'Doctor, you must do what you think is best for her.'

I finished rubbing my eyes and looked at him.

He was right. I had to.

* * *

_Martha_

'Where are we going now?' I asked with a smile on my face as the Doctor ran around, adjusting knobs and pulling levers. Sec stood and watched from a distance. He looked uncomfortable. Was he leaving us? I gave him an encouraging smile and he returned it but soon lowered his gaze to the floor. He wasn't used to the emotions associated with a human farewell.

The TARDIS rocked and I grabbed hold of the console so I wouldn't fall over. Sec followed my example. The Doctor fiddled some more and then hit the brake. 'There we go, perfect landing. Which isn't easy in such a tight spot.'

'You should be used to tight spots by now.' I smiled, looking to the door and listening to the metal of the TARDIS creak from the heat. 'Where are we?'

I noticed the Doctor take a large breath. 'The end of the line.' He said, looking at Sec. Sec only looked at the floor.

I made a dash for the door and turned back to face the two alien travellers. 'No place like it.' The Doctor continued, nodding his head for me to open the door. I did, with a smile on my face. What new and exciting place would I… I paused as I got outside the door. It was my living room. The Doctor followed and, though he was tentative, so did Sec. 'Home?' I asked, looking at the Doctor. 'You took me home?' He nodded. 'The morning after we left. So you've only been gone 12 hours.'

'But all the stuff we've done! Shakespeare, New New York, old New York… '

'Yeah, all in the space of one night, relatively speaking.' He fiddled with his ear. 'Everything should be exactly as it was; books, CDs… laundry.' He picked up a pair of undies and dangled them in front of my face. I snatched them from him and blushed, but I didn't blush as much as Sec did. He had gone a brilliant shade of red.

'So, right where you were, as promised.' The Doctor finished, looking at his Converse. I rubbed my neck, trying to distract myself. 'So this is it?'

'Yeah.' The Doctor turned to Sec. 'We should…'

The phone interrupted him. I groaned as the answer machine turned on, my voice sounding cracked on the recording. 'Hi, I'm out. Leave a message!' I watched as Sec moved to see the phone more clearly. My mum's voice soon filled the room. 'Martha?'

'My mum.' I told them both as they looked at me.

'Martha? Are you there? I know you are. Pick it up will you? Fine, don't.'

We all laughed as the message continued.

'I was only ringing to tell you that your sister's on TV - on the news of all things. Just thought you might be interested.' The phone hung up.

As soon as the phone had been hung up the telly was on. Tish, my Tish on the BBC news? That was important. She was stood behind a very wrinkled old man; Professor Lazarus, her boss. 'She's a PA.' I said. 'Works for Laz Labs. A research facility.'

Finally, I listened to what Lazarus had to say but I only caught the last piece of his statement. '… I will change what it means to be human.' I turned the telly off and threw the remote onto the chair.

'Sorry.' I said looking at the Doctor who was looking at the blank TV. 'You were saying?'

'Yes, yes, we should be getting going.' The Doctor said, looking at Sec who looked back at him. My heart sank knowing I'd never see them again. The Doctor leant against the TARDIS and laughed. 'One trip, I said.'

'I guess things just kind of escalated.' I smiled.

'Yeah, that seems to happen to me a lot.'

I looked at Sec and smiled. 'I hope you manage to start again.' Sec smiled and nodded. 'Thank you.' I turned back to the Doctor and gave a little smile. 'Thank you, for everything.'

'It was my pleasure.' He said with a large smile. They both turned and got back in the TARDIS without a second glance at me.

Standing back as I heard the engine start, I watched as the TARDIS vanished, filling my room with a strong gust of wind. I felt tears well up in my eyes and I blinked them back. It stung, bitterly, but I wouldn't let them free. Why was it whenever I fancied a guy he buggered off somewhere else? Well, at least I had known the Doctor. That was a blessing. And I would miss Sec… even though he had been a megalomanic pepper pot out to destroy humanity.

An engine rumbled. Another gust of wind rustled my curtains. I turned and saw the TARDIS re-appear right where it had been stood before and I knew my smile rivalled that of the Cheshire Cat. I jumped as the door suddenly opened and the Doctor popped his head out of the door. 'No, I'm sorry. Did he say he was going to change what it means to be human?'

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Feel free to flame or review. Whatever floats your boat.


	4. Enter the Professor

****I do not own any of the characters, items or scenarios (beside the events between the real episodes) from the Doctor Who story. They are owned by the all powerful BBC and created by people far more talented than I. I am making no profit from this story.

Thanks! 0

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**CHAPTER FOUR**

_Sec_

This human ritual of 'black tie' was unknown to me. The Doctor was rushing around, acting very strangely. Martha told me he was turning the whole affair into a drama and left, returning half an hour later wearing a beautiful dress.

I was happy we had reunited with Martha. A week had passed since we left her and I had missed her greatly. So had the Doctor but he had been determined not to go back. That was until he remembered what that man, Lazarus, had said. Then we went back.

The Doctor returned to the living room carrying two pairs of shoes; his usual "Converse" shoes and a plain black pair. 'Which ones? Which ones?' Martha shook her head. 'And people say women are picky with clothes. Look, which pair do you think would go?' The Doctor smirked and shook his usual shoes. 'Your Converse? You must be kidding…'

'No, I'm not. Converse go with anything!'

I smiled as Martha looked at me and shook her head.

I was pulled from the room by the Doctor and led to the TARDIS wardrobe, a huge multi-level place. All the varying colours fascinated me as before, when I lived inside my travel unit, I had only seen differing shades of blue. 'Right, Sec. Let's get you fixed up!' The Doctor said as he dived out of the changing room, dressed in what he called a monkey suit. His Converse shoes adorned his feet. 'I told Martha they'd go.' He said, following my gaze and waggling his foot. 'But enough of that. I can prove her wrong later.'

Deciding now was a good time, I took my watch from my pocket and fastened it around my wrist. I felt that familiar little pain as the transformation occurred and then it ended. I looked in the mirror beside me and saw Diagoras looking back into my face. I had decided to use his surname for my human form and so I called myself Seth Diagoras. I ignored the Doctor's calls from above (he had ascended a floor) and looked deeper into that reflective surface at my – his face. Diagoras no longer existed; his mind had been taken over by mine during the last stages of the final experiment. I felt terrible for what I did to him. I often wondered if there was still a small part of him left inside me but I doubted it. He would never exist again and his body snatcher would be trapped in his form forever.

'SEC!' I looked up and found the Doctor looking over the railings at me. 'Finally, I thought you'd never speak again. Did your mind go walkies?'

'Yes.' What strange terminology this man and humanity used.

'Good-o. Come on, we need to get you in a suit.'

I looked down at the clothes I was wearing. It was Diagoras' suit which we had cleaned and fixed. 'No, not that kind of suit, Sec. You need a monkey suit too!' He gave a large grin and disappeared. I heard the rustling of material and, groaning, made my way up the stairs. Human rituals were so difficult to understand.

We finally found a suit that fitted me and I donned the black shoes that the Doctor had abandoned. Martha was waiting for us in the kitchen where she had found the biscuit tin that the Doctor had hidden from me a couple of days before. 'They're my biscuits!' He pointed at the tin. Martha smirked at him. 'Finders keepers , loosers weepers.' He snatched the tin from the table top and put them on the top shelf out of Martha's reach. 'HAH! GET MY BISCUITS NOW IF YOU DARE!' He jumped around the room, laughing and pointing at her. Martha was trying hard not to laugh.

The Doctor continued to jump around the room until he gave an indignant 'ouch!' and began hopping on one leg. 'Stone in shoe. Stone in shoe!' I looked on as the Doctor nearly fell onto the table. Martha was laughing so hard she had doubled over in pain. 'It's like the dance you did when you had radiation stuck in your shoe!'

'That was different!' The Doctor replied as he finally sat down, took off his shoe and shook the stone out. 'That happened because I focused the radiation into my shoe. This stone just didn't like me.'

-------- Doctor • Who -------

We moved along the busy streets of London, people gazing at us in our state of dress. The Doctor and I were wearing our identical suits (apart form the shoes of course) and fiddling with our ties. The Doctor soon moved on to his cufflinks. 'Black tie. You know, whenever I wear this something bad always happens.'

'No, that's just you.' I replied with a smirk, keeping my gaze ahead of me. Martha giggled. 'Never mind,' She said. 'I think it suits you in a James Bond kind of way.'

'James Bond?' The Doctor said with disgust and surprise as he again fiddled with his bow tie. Then he paused. 'Really?' The curiosity in his voice was unmistakable.

Across the street from us lay Lazarus Laboratories; a classic building which had an extension of glass and metal built upon it. Martha approached the guard at the door who was holding a list in his hand and spoke quietly to him. I saw him look towards the Doctor and I before shaking his head. 'Ah, well.' The Doctor sighed, reaching into his pocket. 'Time to resort to drastic measures.' He produced a leather case and signalled for me to follow him. 'Evening my good man.' He started, giving an overly large grin. 'Our pass is right here.' He flicked open the case and I saw a blank sheet of paper. 'We are Martha Jones' guests. We're scientists ourselves you see. Really interested in Lazarus' work.'

With a nod of his head the guard permitted us entrance. That was when I realised the Doctor had psychic paper. 'Handy that.' Martha smiled as we made our way inside and up the stairs. 'I could have done my driving lessons and not my test. That would have covered me.' The Doctor laughed. I had no clue as to what they were laughing about.

The reception was bubbling with people. The Doctor noticed a waitress carrying a tray of food and he made for her. 'Nibbles! I love nibbles.' He took some in his hand and ate them. Martha meanwhile had found her sister and had been talking to her animatedly. 'Oh good. She found a friend.' The Doctor said as he finished eating and scanned the room for another tray of food. I eyed the un-miscible machine in the centre of the room. I knew then that it was dangerous.

Martha led her sister to us and introduced everyone. 'This is the Doctor.' She said as the Doctor extended his hand to hers which she shook. 'Hello.' He said, finishing yet another 'nibble'. Martha rolled her eyes and continued. 'And this is Seth Diagoras.' I shook her hand as the Doctor had done. 'Good evening.'

'Evening. You're not from around here, are you?'

Martha sensed my trepidation and stepped in. 'No, he's from America. He's a genetics scientist.'

'Ah. That's great.' Her sister, Tish, said with a smile. 'But they weren't on the guest list…'

'There my plus one and two.'

'Oh.'

The Doctor looked at me before speaking. 'So, this Lazarus; he's your boss?'

'Professor Lazarus, yes. I'm part of his executive staff.'

'She's in the PR department.' Martha said. What was the PR department?

'I'm head of the PR department actually.' Her sister snapped back. The Doctor and I both looked at each other, both thinking the same thing; we needed to keep out of their conversation.

'You're joking?' Martha said with wonder.

'I put this whole thing together actually.'

The Doctor broke our silent pledge. 'Do you know what the professor's going to be doing tonight? That looks like a sonic microfilmluator.'

'Oh, he's a science geek. I should have known.'

Tish grimaced and left graciously. The Doctor looked as confused as I. 'Science geek? What's that mean?' He asked. I was just as curious to know the answer. Martha paused slightly before telling us. 'It means you're obsessively enthusiastic about it.'

I sensed the Doctor's ego rise tenfold.

Later that evening we were introduced to Martha's brother Leo and her mother, who took an instant dislike to the Doctor and then to me. I wasn't particularly fond of her either. Fond. What words I had been exposed to in the TARDIS.

Then the lights dimmed.

* * *

The Doctor

We watched in silence as Lazarus took centre stage in front of his machine. I looked at Sec and he at me with significant glances. This was bound to go wrong. This lunatic had no idea what he was letting himself in for. Cameras flashed and snapped around us, the crowd gave that excitable little hum I had grown to associate with danger. Something was definitely going to go wrong.

'I am Professor Richard Lazarus and tonight I will perform a miracle.' Lazarus called out, his voice cracking either under nerves or old age. The flashes of light were disorientating to say the least. Martha had huddled closer to her family whilst I had been focused only on the professor before me. That was the safest place for her right now. 'It is, I believe, the most important advance since Rutherford split the atom, the biggest leap since Armstrong stood on the moon.'

As he was speaking, Sec tapped me lightly on the arm and I glanced at him. 'Do you think this will work?'

'No, not safely at least. He hasn't got the right knowledge.'

Someone in the crowd hushed us quiet and we looked at each other. I pulled a face and turned back to Lazarus. 'Tommorow, you will wake to a world that will be changed forever.'

'But for good or bad?' I asked myself, though Sec had heard me.

Lazarus stepped inside the capsule and closed the door behind him. I held my breath as the machine started, watched over by the scientists at the control panel. Martha looked at me, then back to her family. She was suspicious as well. That was to be expected. After all, she had seen a lot more than most humans ever would. A lot, lot more.

There was a brilliant bright blue light as the process continued. The columns surrounding the capsule spun around it manically and the horrid mechanical whir screeched through my ears like a braking car. I could only imagine how it must have felt to Sec. After all, his hearing was a lot more sensitive than mine. I looked at him and found the poor guy covering his ears, hissing with the pain.

The flashes from the cameras continued. The crowd had fallen silent. Then, above the noise was an even more piercing sound. But it was piercing in a different way. The alarm was ringing.

Sec uncovered his ears and looked around him. 'What is that?'

'Something's wrong. It's overloading.'

His face betrayed his horror.

The scientists at the control panel were running in circles as their computers blew in a flash of sparks and smoke. People screamed in fear as the machine flew out of control. In an instant I was hurtling towards the control panel and had vaulted over it. As I turned and pulled my Sonic from my pocket, I saw Sec arrive at my side. We both used the working computers to try and stop that thing from taking out the whole building. Sec was still in pain but he worked bloody fast anyway. 'We need to get this thing calmed down before we pull the plug!' I yelled over the noise, trying to hack into the main computer with the Sonic. Sec nodded.

Meanwhile, Lady Thaw had seen us and stupidly thought we shouldn't have been there. 'Somebody stop them! Get them away from the controls!' As the guards approached I shouted back at her, hurting my voice in an attempt to make myself heard. 'If this thing goes up it'll take the whole building with it! Is that what you want!?'

She called them off. Sec had managed to turn off the main power source. 'Doctor!' He turned to me and I vaulted over the control panel again. I didn't know which cable did which so I tore them all out. The machine slowed, stopped and smoke was seen rising from the capsule. Sec and I looked at each other in horror and ran back to the machine. 'Get it open!' I yelled, but Martha was well ahead of me; she had already begun to wrench to door open.

We stood back in a mixture of horror and wonder as the figure of Lazarus emerged form the smoke. I felt dread when I saw his face. It had worked. His face was like that of a man in his early 40s. He touched his face to feel his "new" skin and threw his arms wide with a delighted cry. 'Ladies and gentlemen, I am Richard Lazarus. I am 76 years old and I am reborn!'

The room erupted into a cacophony of applause. It was only Martha, Sec and I who were silent.

'The party's in full swing.' Martha said as I chomped down on more nibbles and the reception continued. Sec was searching the room for Lazarus. 'I don't like this.'

'Why?'

'That machine had a malfunction. Something must have happened to him.'

I licked the crumbs off of my thumb and re-joined the conversation. 'Well, if it has we'll find out soon enough.' I nodded my head as Lazarus stopped near us and lapped up the attention.

Martha shook her head at him. 'It can't be the same guy. It's impossible, it must be a trick.' I looked on as Lazarus had his photo taken. 'Oh it's not a trick. I wish it were.'

'What just happened then?'

I paused to think about it. With dread I made my reply. 'He just changed what it means to be human.'

Sec had narrowed his eyes. 'I have seen what can happen when the unknowledgeable change their DNA.' Martha looked at Sec in a horrified stupor. 'What can happen, Sec?' Sec turned to her. 'It goes horribly wrong… changes them completely.' Martha's lips twitched with nerves and slowly glanced over at Lazarus who was now talking to Lady Thaw.

'So what about her, then?' Martha cocked her head in the old bat's direction. I scratched my chin and shrugged. 'I don't know. But he doesn't look happy that she's touching him.' I noted as he pulled his head away from her slowly. We continued to watch in silence as they spoke to each other. Lazarus had looked quite smug and confident until his head was thrown back with jerk. Sec looked deeply concerned. 'His neck cracked.'

'His neck cracked?' ' I looked at Sec.

'Yes, I heard it.'

'Righty-o then.' I said before making my way to the couple who both looked rather astonished. Lazarus had snatched a plate of nibbles and rammed them in his mouth. It was like he had never eaten before. 'Richard?' Thaw reprimanded him. I heard him reply 'I'm famished.'

I stopped next to them, Martha and Sec at my heels. Lazarus and Thaw looked at us with a faint trace of disgust. 'Energy deficit. Always happens in this kind of process.' I said, watching Lazarus' actions carefully. 'You speak as if you see this everyday, Mr…?' He did not extend his hand and I did not extend mine. I didn't really want to touch him, to be honest. 'Doctor.' I replied. 'And well not everyday but I have some experience of this kind of transformation.' I didn't like the smile he gave me. 'That's impossible.' He retorted in a sickly sweet tone. He moved forward slightly but stopped when Sec had moved to block Martha and myself from his path. I watched his actions closely. He really didn't trust Lazarus.

'Using hypersonic sound waves to create a sense of resonance. How did you think of that?' Sec questioned him, still blocking us from Lazarus. Lazarus' eyes thinned. He looked Sec up and down before replying to him. 'And you are?'

'Seth Diagoras.'

'And what is it you do, Mr. Diagoras?'

'I do many things.'

'Well, sir, you understand the theory very well.'

It struck me then. Sec must have done this himself when he had been experimenting. What resulted because of this experiment had obviously had some degree of importance.

'I know enough to know you couldn't have possibly considered all the variables.' Sec continued.

Lazarus took another nibble from his tray and popped it into his mouth, speaking through each bite, his face showing nothing but arrogance and concern only for himself. This I found truly disgusting. 'No experiment is entirely without risk, Mr. Diagoras.'

I saw Sec's body move to pound Lazarus into the ground and so I pulled him back gently and instead blocked him off from the professor. 'That thing nearly exploded.' I snapped, loosing my patience very quickly. 'You might as well have stepped into a blender.' Thaw scoffed at this remark. 'You're not qualified to comment. Neither of you are.' She added, looking Sec in the eye, from who I heard a deep, guttural growl. She was ruffling his feathers now and she knew it. The term "cold hearted wench" came to my mind. 'If we hadn't stopped it, it would have exploded.' I said with forced calm. I kept telling myself to take deep breaths.

Lazarus was getting tired with us now. His body language told me that. I had images of being thrown out of the building which would have made life difficult. Sure, we could have gotten back inside but we would have gotten a lot of hassle as a result. 'I thank you both for that little miracle.' Lazarus replied, his voice betraying his boredom. He wasn't thankful at all either. I could tell just by looking at him. 'However, that was just a simple engineering issue. What happened inside the capsule was exactly what was supposed to happen. No more, no less.' He smiled sweetly again and I felt sick. His blatant disregard for his guest's safety was unsettling to say the least.

Martha finally spoke up. I wondered what had been keeping her. Normally she would have floored him by now. 'You've no way of knowing that, not until you've run proper tests.' Her voice was far too quiet. This man must have had her scared her somehow but I couldn't quite put my finger on it until he looked at her with an animalistic lust. Sec had noticed it too as we both moved to guard her now. Lazarus only laughed, either at Sec and me or at Martha's comment. 'Look at me. You can see what happened. I'm all the proof you need.'

Once again, Thaw felt the need to butt in. Oh, that woman was a pain. 'The device will be properly certified before we begin to operate commercially.'

'COMMERCIALLY?' Martha looked like she was just about ready to slap that stupid woman. Personally, I wouldn't have minded as long as it wasn't me on the receiving end. 'You are joking? That'll cause chaos.'

'Exactly what I was thinking, Martha my girl.' I replied, which earned me a rather nasty look from the old battleaxe. Lazarus held up his hand for silence. 'Not chaos.' He said plainly. 'Change. A chance for humanity to evolve, to improve…'

'This isn't about improving. This is about you and your customers living a little longer.' I snarled. Now I saw why Sec hadn't liked him from the start. This was arrogance, to do something so inhuman and market it to the population with no idea of the consequences.

Lazarus smirked and moved closer to me. I felt Sec shift behind me but I held out my arm to stop him. 'Not a little longer, Doctor.' Lazarus' breath hit my face. I hated it when people breathed on me. 'A lot longer. Perhaps indefinitely.' He backed away and resumed his quiet and controlled persona as a camera man passed and took a picture. Thaw, shook her head and pulled on her lover boy's arm. 'Come Richard. We have things to discuss. Upstairs.'

They both turned to leave, ignoring our presence until Lazarus turned back to us. 'Goodbye Doctor, Mr. Diagoras, my lady.' He looked at Martha with that lust in his eyes again. 'Gentlemen,' He continued, looking at Sec and me with superiority. 'In a few years you'll look back and laugh at how wrong you were.' He extended his hand for Martha to shake which she did tentatively. But after the smallest and slightest handshake in the history of the universe, Lazarus pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it for longer than was normal. He left with that same look in his eyes.

'Oh, he's out of his depth. No idea of the damage he might have done.' I breathed. Sec snorted at Lazarus' back and muttered something I couldn't understand… though I think I heard some swearing. Looks like Martha and I had taught him some bad habits. Oh dear. Martha rubbed Sec's arm to calm him down and turned to face me. 'So what do we do now?'

'Now… well,' I said, formulating a plan very quickly. 'This building must be full of laboratories. I say we do our own tests.'

'Lucky I just collected a DNA sample then.' Martha laughed, wiggling her fingers in front of my face. The fingers which belonged to the hand that Lazarus had kissed. Sec had calmed down and smiled. 'Wonderful.' He whispered. I had the largest and most stupidest grin on my face. 'Oh, Martha Jones, you're a star!'

We had snuck away from the party quickly, only Martha's mother noticing that we were leaving. She demanded to know where we were going but Martha told her not to worry and swore her to secrecy. I wasn't expecting any miracles. Her mother had it out for me… I knew it.

Martha had headed out ahead of us, looking for an empty lab. Sec and I walked side by side, watching her dart from door to door after each unsuccessful attempt. 'Her mother's got it in for me.' I said finally. Sec only chuckled. 'What makes you think that?'

'The fact that she's been following me around and looking at me funny.'

'Anyone would say you're paranoid, Doctor.'

I laughed. 'Maybe I am. But she definitely doesn't like me. Why? What did I ever do to her?'

'You looked at her.'

'Oh, now that's not very nice.' We both laughed, a little louder than was safe.

Martha turned to us with a quizzical look. 'What are you two laughing about?'

'Nothing dear.' I said quickly. 'You just carry on with your hectic search.'

She pulled a face at me and continued round the corner.

Sec adjusted his wristwatch and looked at me. He was thinking about something. Finally, he spoke out. 'What happened to Rose Tyler?' I bit my lip at the mention of her name. No one had spoken of her in such a long time that I hadn't realised how hard it was for me to think about her. 'She… she was pulled into an alternative Earth.'

'I'm sorry.' Sec said quickly. He regretted his asking me now.

'No, it's alright.'

There was silence for what seemed to be forever. I couldn't even hear Martha trying the doors on the corridor that we had just turned into. Then I broke the silence. 'Sometimes I envied your race, Sec. I really did… still do.' I saw his reaction out of the corner of my eye. His body went rigid and on edge. 'I mean, not having emotions, things wouldn't be as bad when you lost someone you cared about.'

'But not having emotions, you would not be able to enjoy their company while it lasted.' Sec breathed. He had relaxed again. 'I look back now and know that to have a life without emotion is to have the life of an empty shell. It's meaningless.' I patted him on the shoulder and gave a little laugh. 'We've both had a rough time then.' He nodded in agreement.

* * *

Please review or flame. Thanks. 


	5. Feast of Lazarus

Disclaimer - I do not own any of the characters, scenarios (apart form those between episodes) or anything else from the Doctor Who series. I am writing this story purely out of enjoyment and am making no monetary gain from it.

Legal drabble over now. **:D**

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Martha

I was being blocked entrance to a free lab by a stupid lock on the door. A numeric pad. God, I hated those things. I stood and waited for Sec and the Doctor to arrive with crossed arms. They finally turned the corner and met my eyes. 'Finally! Where have you both…' My voice died as I saw their faces. They were both solemn and sad. Not the faces I was used to. 'Oh.' Was all I could say as they levelled with me. The Doctor forced a smile and looked at the door. 'Ah, a lock. No problem.' He ushered past me, produced his screwdriver and began work on unlocking the door. I looked at Sec who also gave a forced smile. 'Are you both alright?'

'Yes, we're fine.' Sec replied.

'Funny, you don't seem like it.'

'We are fine, Martha. Really.'

'Whatever you say, alien boy.'

Sec gave a small laugh. I smiled. The Doctor cried with glee as the door opened. Without looking behind us we all moved inside.

The Doctor opened up the closest computer and retrieved a swab and Petri dish. He dabbed my hand with the cotton bud and gently wiped it onto the dish before moving me away from the computer as he began the tests. Meanwhile, Sec had gone to the far side of the room to take off his watch. He gave a little yelp of pain as he transformed back to himself but nothing more. Wearing that thing really did wear him out and he needed to take it off and rest while he could.

'There we go.' I heard the Doctor say. He had the computer running then. Sec came out of the shadows, pocketing his watch while he did. 'What is it?'

'I don't know yet, but we have the scan.' He pulled out his glasses and balanced them on his nose. I moved to where I could see the screen and Sec stood behind us.

We watched the model of Lazarus' DNA for a long while, the only thing to be heard was the little whirring sound of the computer. That was until the Doctor slammed the table with his hand. 'Amazing.' He whispered.

'What?'

'Lazarus' DNA.'

'I can't see anything different.' I said, squinting at the screen.

'Look at it!'

I rolled my eyes and watched. The screen suddenly flickered and the DNA strand broke and shifted before moving back into place. 'Oh my God. Did that just change?' The Doctor nodded. 'Oh yes.'

'That's impossible. It can't have.' I breathed. DNA couldn't do that in such a short space of time. Then I remembered Sec behind me. He'd changed his DNA.

The Doctor pointed to the screen as it changed again. 'Oh, but it did. And that makes a grand total of… well… many impossible things you've seen so far.' He smiled at me.

Sec had remained very quiet so far. I turned and found him glaring at the screen with a mix of emotions. Anger and terror were the prevailing ones though. I looked back at the Doctor who had also been examining the DNA. 'Then that means he's changed his whole molecular patterns.' I said, looking at the screen again.

'Hypersonic sound waves to destabilize the cell structure and then a mutagenic program to manipulate the DNA.' The Doctor said way too quickly for me to understand him properly. 'Basically, he hacked into his own genes and caused them to rejuvenate.'

Finally, there was a voice from the back seat. 'Lazarus is still mutating.' Sec whispered, putting his watch back on. With another little yelp he was Diagoras again. 'There must be something in his DNA, something he didn't notice.'

'You mean like some sort of glitch?'

The Doctor took off his glasses. 'No, not a glitch. Something else. But what I don't know.'

He pocketed his glasses. 'But we're going to find out. To his office!' He shouted, leading the way, Sec straight after him. Did these guys ever have a normal day?

* * *

Sec

It didn't take long for us to find Lazarus' office. It was on the very top floor, overlooking other buildings with that superiority he pretended to have. The Doctor turned on the lights so he and Martha could see. I wouldn't have minded. I could see in the dark. I looked over his model of the nearby church. So he was a religious man? He didn't act like one. 'This is his office alright.' Martha said as she looked around the almost empty room.

The Doctor looked out the window at the growing crowd of photographers below. 'So where is he?' Martha answered him. 'Don't know. Let's try back at the… reception.' I turned to see what had made her pause and fall quiet. A grey, thin leg was laid on the floor behind the desk. The Doctor had already made his way over to it and what he saw made him recoil. Martha and I looked at each other before we ran to his side. I saw why he had shrunk away. Lady Thaw was dead; her drained corpse abandoned on the floor.

Martha stepped back in horror and I caught her, holding her in an action I had come to know as a hug or a cuddle. Something I now found pleasure in. 'Is that Lady Thaw?' She breathed, looking down upon the body. The Doctor knelt by the corpse and examined it. 'Used to be.' He said. 'Now she's just a shell. Had all her life energy drained out of her. Like squeezing the juice from an orange.'

Martha buried her head into my shoulder. I rubbed her arm and looked to the Doctor who had stood up. 'Lazarus?'

'Could be, Sec.'

'So he's changed already.'

'Not necessarily. You saw the DNA; it was fluctuating. The process must have marred the energy.' He nodded his head at the body below. 'This might not have been enough…' The Doctor's face turned pale and I'm sure mine did too. In that instant we knew what was going to happen. Martha looked at us both and pulled away from me. 'What do you… Wait,' She said, realising what we were stunned about. 'You mean he's going to do this again!?'

The Doctor looked at her. 'And he's got a big buffet waiting for him downstairs!'

We hurtled back to the lift and as the door closed behind us I could have sworn I heard voices coming from outside.

The reception was now fuller than it was before as some reporters had managed to get inside. The Doctor and I looked at each other. 'Right, whoever finds Lazarus calls out, alright?'

Martha and I responded in unison. Then her family arrived. 'Hey, Martha. Mum's been looking for you…'

'Not now, Leo.'

Her mother pushed her way past. 'I want a word with you young lady.'

'Not now, mum, please!

'Oh, no. You're not getting away just because there are people to hear…'

The Doctor interrupted at last. 'Has anyone seen Lazarus?'

'Yeah.' Martha's brother said. 'He was getting pretty comfy with Tish…'

'With, Tish!?' Martha looked about ready to scream. The Doctor shook the brother roughly. 'Where did they go?'

'Upstairs, I think.'

We instantly headed for the lift again. Martha shouted back to her mother who had moaned at her. 'Not now mum!'

I felt sorry for Martha as she caught her breath. In these short months I had grown very fond of her and I couldn't bear to see her upset. I stood by her side and rubbed her back. The Doctor gave me a quick and knowing glance. Why he gave me it though, I did not know.

We emerged from the lift and rushed into his office which we found to be empty. 'Where are they?' Martha spun around. She was concerned for her sister's safety. The Doctor took out his screwdriver. Martha looked disappointed and angered. 'There's no time to play around with that thing!'

'Fluctuating DNA gives off an energy signature. I might be able to pick it up!' The Doctor replied as he scanned the room. 'Got it.' He said and he pointed the sonic at the ceiling. I looked on, perplexed. 'But this is the top floor.'

Martha had already hurtled towards another door. 'The roof! They're on the roof!' We followed her through the door and up the stairs leading to the roof. Sure enough, they were there.

They had their backs to us. Lazarus was speaking and Martha's sister listened with great attention. '… There's always something to surprise you.' He said. I snorted at the truth behind his words. 'Between the idea and the reality, between the motion and the act…'

The Doctor stepped forward and finished the statement. '… All's the shadow.'

Lazarus turned to us and smirked at the Doctor. 'Ah, so the mysterious Doctor knows his Elliot. I'm impressed.' Martha's sister was very confused. 'Martha, what are you doing here?'

'Tish, get away from him.'

'What?' Tish snapped. 'Don't tell me what to do!'

The Doctor stepped forward again. 'I wouldn't have thought you had time for poetry, Lazarus. What with you defying the laws of nature and everything?'

'You're right, Doctor. One lifetime simply hasn't been enough for all I want to do.' He smirked again. 'How much more I'll have done in two or three… or four.'

I finally stepped forwards and spoke out. 'It doesn't work like that.'

'And how would you know, Mr. Diagoras?'

I fell silent.

'Lazarus,' The Doctor started. 'Some people do more in 20 years then some do in 80. It's the person, not the time.'

'Then this would be a gift to them.'

'No, it would be a curse. I know. I experience it every day.'

Lazarus looked shocked at this. So did I. The Doctor actually felt this way about his life? I would have never known.

'Who are you?' Lazarus demanded with a hint of terror.

'Look at what you've done to yourself, Lazarus.'

'Who are you to judge me?'

Martha had pulled her sister away from us. 'Come on, Tish…'

'You have to spoil everything, don't you?' She snarled. I looked over my shoulder to see Martha shaking her head as she was accused of spoiling her sister's chance of a relationship. 'Tish, he's a monster.'

'Well, yeah the age thing's a little creepy but it works for Catherine Zeta Jones.'

There was another painful cracking sound. I turned back and found Lazarus transforming slowly. 'What is that?' I heard Tish ask Martha. Lazarus stood taller than us all, a mass of arms and legs with an almost scorpion like tail. The face of failure. 'RUN!' The Doctor screamed. We already were.

We locked ourselves back inside, the Doctor using his sonic device to lock the door to give us time to escape. The door was rammed but it did not open. Outside we heard an inhuman howl of anger.

'Move, move, move, move, move!' The Doctor shouted again. The women went first and the Doctor and I followed as we ran back to the lift. Martha turned to her sister. 'Are you alright?'

'I was gonna snog him…' She replied, leaning against the wall.

A metallic crash echoed above us. The lights died and the lift stopped. The alarm rang and a recorded message saying "security one" repeated above us. 'What's happening?' Martha asked.

'An intrusion.' Her sister replied. 'It triggers a security lockdown; cuts the power, seals the lifts and exits.'

The Doctor looked up. 'He's broken through the door!' We all headed for the stairs and ran down them as fast as we could. I had felt fear before, back in New York, when my Daleks had betrayed me. But this was different. My heart was racing.

Above me I heard Lazarus' guttural growl. Martha stopped on the stairs before me. 'God, it's coming!' I took hold of her and forced her to move. 'We haven't got much time!' The Doctor called from below.

Those in the reception were drinking and laughing to themselves. The Doctor turned to Tish. 'Is there another way out?'

'Yeah, in the corner, but it'll be locked by now.'

'Martha,' He threw the sonic device to her. 'Setting 54. Hurry!'

'But what about you?' Martha asked.

'We'll be fine.' I replied, lying. We wouldn't be fine, but we'd stay alive if we could.

She looked at me with a disbelieving face and left with her sister.

The Doctor had stepped onto the platform of the machine and I followed him. He called out to the crowd. 'Listen to me!' The crowd looked at us. 'You people are in serious danger! You have to get out of here right now!' A woman in the crowd laughed. 'Don't be ridiculous. The only danger we're in here is choking on an olive.'

'Listen,' I said. 'You have to go. All of you!'

There was an almighty crash above as I turned to look at the platform across the room I felt horror flood me again. 'Oh no…' Lazarus had finally made his way to the reception. His mangled mass of spidery legs clung onto the railings of the balcony. In an instant people ran for the door, screaming and fighting each other for freedom.

Lazarus dived onto the floor and began to throw and scatter tables as he looked for his next victim. The Doctor and I ducked as a table smashed above our heads and the splinters fell down upon us. When we next looked at Lazarus he was standing in front of the woman who had argued with us earlier. She was frozen with fear. The Doctor tried to stand but fell back to his knees. 'No! GET AWAY FROM HER!' Lazarus lifted his tail and drove it through the woman's body. I watched in horror as her body shrunk and turned grey. Her skeletal form was thrown to the floor.

The Doctor finally managed to stand and helped me up. What I saw next truly terrified me; Lazarus had turned on Martha's family. Her mother and brother had hidden behind a table but he had found them.

I don't know what it was that made me do it, but I called to that wretched beast. 'LAZARUS! LEAVE THEM ALONE!' He turned to face me. The Doctor tapped me on the shoulder. 'Let me handle this.' He coolly walked in front of me and faced the gigantic form before us. Meanwhile, Martha had returned. I looked at her, willing her to leave. She waited with her family and looked at me. _'Please Martha, go!' _I hoped she could hear me. I had not tried to communicate with telepathy since I had become a human Dalek. She shook her head at me. _'Please!'_ She mouthed the word 'no'.

The Doctor sneered at Lazarus. 'What's the point? You can't control it!' He said. Lazarus approached us slowly, savouring the fact that he was going to kill us, the infuriating do-gooders who had annoyed him all evening. 'The mutation's too strong. And don't think killing those people will help you.' He was even closer now. 'You're a fool...' Lazarus towered over us, his breath hitting my face. I stared him in the eye. The Doctor continued. '… A vain old man who thought he could defy nature. Only nature got her own back, didn't she?' Lazarus thought for a moment but advanced again. 'YOU'RE A JOKE, LAZARUS! A BIG, FAT SECTION IN THE HISTORY OF FAILURE!'

We both turned and ran as Lazarus gave chase, speeding down a corridor filled with emergency lights. 'So, what's next?' I asked as we ran. 'I don't know. I haven't thought of another plan yet.' The Doctor replied.

'Oh, that's wonderful.'

'Well have you got one? Because right now I'd love to hear it!'

'Let me think!'

Lazarus roared behind us. I looked over my shoulder and found him scaling the walls and ceiling. 'Well, we'll have to have a plan soon!'

'Yeah, I know. But for now just run!'

And run we did. We managed to loose him as we ran down a series of corridors and into a room full of pipes. Was it a boiler room? I wasn't paying that much attention to be honest. We climbed up a set of pipes and hid, constantly moving as we heard Lazarus enter and hide. I led the way in the dark, tapping the Doctor when there was anything in the path. Lazarus' scuttling could be heard everywhere in this room so we had no idea where he actually was.

Then we heard his voice. It was a loud and raspy and snake like voice. 'It's no good trying to hide, gentlemen. You can't stop me.'

'Is that the same sort of arrogance you had when you swore nothing had gone wrong with your device?' The Doctor asked, looking about him, trying to see where he was. I tried to listen for where Lazarus was but the sound echoed so much I couldn't get any definitive location. Lazarus spoke again. 'The arrogance is yours. You can't stand in the way of progress.'

'You call feeding on innocent people progress!? You're delusional!' I turned as the Doctor retaliated. I could have sworn he was behind us. 'It is a necessary sacrifice.'

'That's not your decision to make!'

Suddenly the lights turned back on. I heard the slightest noise above us and looked up. 'Doctor?' I said. He looked up too. Lazarus hung above us and grinned, bearing his teeth.

'Peek-a-boo.' He said with a growl.

'Oh, hello.' The Doctor replied before pulling me away as Lazarus swung out his tail.

We ran back down through the corridors, looking for a new path. There was only one and it went to the laboratories. We hid inside one chemical laboratory and I turned to the Doctor. 'What now?'

'I finally have a plan!'

'What?'

'We need to make an explosion in here so Lazarus gets the full blast!'

'Well, we have the chemicals.'

'Open as many gas taps as you can.'

I did what he said without question. At heart I was still a Dalek and Daleks do not disobey orders. The Doctor climbed onto a table and tampered with a lightbulb on the wall. Then he joined me in opening the taps. We hid behind the tables just before Lazarus burst into the room.

'More hide and seek, gentlemen?' We reached over and opened more taps before crawling onto the next one. 'How disappointing.' Lazarus continued drawing closer. 'Why don't you come out and face me?'

'Have you looked in the mirror lately?' The Doctor asked as he stood to face him. 'Why would I wanna face that?' We ran for the door behind us, Lazarus giving chase. As we ran from the room, the Doctor flicked on a light switch and shouted 'DIVE!' As we did the room behind us exploded and threw us both to the ground. The explosion rang in my ears but the next thing I knew was that we were running again. Then we bumped into Martha.

'Martha!' I slid past her and stopped as the Doctor caught her. He looked as shocked as I felt. 'What are you doing here?' He asked. She gave him his sonic device. 'I was returning this. You might need it.'

'How'd you..?'

'I heard the explosion…'

I heard Lazarus. 'We need to escape. Lazarus is still alive!'

'He can't…' The Doctor replied, turning around just as Lazarus emerged in the corridor further down.

'RUN!' I pulled on Martha's arm and she followed with the Doctor behind us.

We soon found ourselves back in the reception and the Doctor barged passed us. 'Come on!' He opened the door of the machine and they dashed inside. 'Sec!' Martha cried. I eyed the machine warily. 'Sec, come on!' She repeated.

Lazarus ran into the room and stopped when he saw me. 'Ah, Mr. Diagoras. All alone I see.' He stepped forward. 'Well, a brilliant mind such as yours would do well combined with mine.'

'Really? Well, I can't say I'd be honoured to be coupled with you.' I replied cooly, taking a step forward. I began to loosen my watch. Lazarus turned his head towards the capsule. I felt a quick, rough tug on my arm and I was pulled inside the machine. The door slammed behind me.

The Doctor shook me in rage. 'Don't ever do that again. You understand? If another person saw the real you other than us, all hell would break loose!' I couldn't move away from his grasp. I couldn't move at all after he let go of me and then I noticed he couldn't move his arms to his side. 'He'll get us in here sooner or later.' Martha said, her back pushed against the wall of the capsule.

The Doctor shook his head slightly. 'No, this is his machine. He won't destroy it even to get to us.'

'But we're trapped.' I snarled, feeling some of my old Dalek hatred return, just as it had earlier in the evening during our talk with Lazarus. The Doctor had noticed it then too. 'No, Sec.' He said calmly. 'Don't let it get the better of you.' I nodded and closed my eyes, taking in deep breaths.

Martha continued the conversation as Lazarus circled us outside. 'So, you don't have a plan?'

'Yes, the plan was to get inside here.'

'Then what?'

'Then I was going to think of another plan.' He breathed.

'In your own time then.' Martha said in a panic.

* * *

Yeah, sorry, it was mainly Sec's POV in this chapter, wasn't it? Never noticed that when I was writing.

Sorry, I'll make it up to you all later.


	6. Confessions of a Monster

Disclaimer - I do not own any of the Doctor Who characters, items or scenarios (apart from those between the episodes). These are owned and created by various peoples at the BBC (who got luckly ). I am making no money from this little project.

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

_Martha_

I couldn't believe this. Trapped inside a tiny capsule, stuck even, with an overgrown scorpion outside. What a great evening this had turned out to be. The Doctor wriggled to get into his pocket and pulled out the Sonic Screwdriver. Sec still had his eyes closed. He was sweating, I noticed, and had laboured breathing. That bloody watch was a pain sometimes. 'Sec, take it off.' I said calmly. 'Martha…' The Doctor started.

'No! Look at him Doctor, he's suffering. And it's not like Lazarus is going to give a monkey's anyway.'

The Doctor looked to me, to Sec and back again. He nodded. I reached for Sec's wrist and tugged the watch off as quickly as I could. In an instant he was himself again.

The Doctor slid down the wall, constricted by the amount of bodies in the capsule. 'HEY!' I shouted, well, more like moaned. Go Martha. Sec looked down on the Doctor when he finally stopped sliding. 'What are you doing?'

'Improvising.' Was the answer he got.

Sec and I looked at each other. His one eye was full of confusion. Mine were full of pissed off –ness. The Doctor opened a plate in the floor below us and began to fiddle with all sorts of things. Lazarus heard this outside and snarled. He wanted to break the door down, I knew. But he wouldn't. 'I still don't understand where that thing came from.' I said, watching his silhouette move outside. 'Is it alien?'

'No,' The Doctor replied, now tampering with some wires. 'For once it's strictly human in origin.'

'HUMAN!? How can it be human!?'

'Dormant genes in Lazarus' DNA. The machine must have reactivated them and it looks like they're becoming dominant.'

'So it's a throwback.' Fear blossomed into something worse. What that was, I still don't know. It wouldn't be the first time I felt it.

'Some option that evolution rejected million's of years ago. But the potential is still there, tucked away in your genes.' He looked up at me. 'Forgotten, until Lazarus unlocked it by mistake.'

'So it's like Pandora's Box?'

'Exactly.'

I don't think I've ever breathed so heavily in my life, not even when I nearly drowned in that swimming pool (no thanks to Leo). I could have been like that? Oh God…

'Nice shoes, by the way.' Only the Doctor could say something like that when we were all buggered.

The sound of Lazarus died away and Sec gave a small laugh. 'He's gone.' That small, wonder filled smile of his, I'll never forget. And I could never forget the Doctor's cheeky grin either. That is _very_ hard to forget. I was about to speak to Sec when I saw his face fall. 'Laz…'

The machine started.

We all looked up as we were blinded by the same bright blue light from earlier. 'What is that?' I asked, knowing full well what it was. 'Sounds like he's switched the machine on.' The Doctor replied, hurrying his work.

'And that's not good, is it?'

'Well, I was hoping that would take him a little bit longer to find out.'

The capsule seemed to shake with the vibrations. Sec screeched as the sound tortured his ears. Lights flashed and I closed my eyes against it. 'Well, I don't want to hurry you but…'

'I KNOW! NEARLY DONE!'

I felt Sec wriggle next to me. 'What are you doing, Doctor?' He called against the noise.

'I'm trying to set the capsule to reflect energy rather than receive it.' He fiddled with some more wires. Oh, God. We were going to end up an odd combination of human, Time Lord and Dalek. 'Will that kill him?' I asked, looking nervously at Sec who had his eye tight shut in pain as the sound went up in pitch. The Doctor answered me, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. 'WE'RE GONNA END UP LIKE HIM!' I screamed, waiting for it to happen. Stupid really, I should have had more faith in the Doctor. 'JUST ONE MORE!' The Doctor yelled.

The sound reached it's climax and there was the sound of thunder and a howl from outside the capsule. The machine died. The Doctor barged the door from his place on the floor and he and Sec fell out of it. 'Sec, are you alright?' I asked as he pushed himself from the floor. He nodded as I helped him to his feet. 'Are you alright? He asked me, analysing me up and down.

'I thought we were going to go through the blender then. But yeah, I'm fine.' I smiled as he leant against the machine and returned my grin. He was copying the Doctor, bless him. The Doctor looked back at the capsule. 'It really shouldn't take that long to reverse the polarity. I must be a bit out of practice.'

Then he turned to look to the side of him. Lazarus was lying on the floor, human again and completely naked, dead. We made our way towards him slowly, not out of fear but disbelief. 'He seems so human again.' I breathed, looking down at the man who seemed to be only sleeping. 'He's kind of pitiful.'

'Elliot thought that too.' The Doctor said, looking at me with a trace of sadness on his face. 'This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper.'

-------- Doctor • Who -------

And there I was, stood in disbelief as they loaded Lazarus into the ambulance. Sec and the Doctor were stood at my side and had taken off their ties, Sec wearing his watch. Mum had come over to us after Tish had run to my side. The Doctor smiled gently at her. 'Ah, Mrs Jones. We still haven't finished our little chat…' _SLAP, SMACK. _I stood with my mouth open as mum lowered her hand. The Doctor held his cheek and looked absolutely stunned. Sec couldn't move, even though there was now an angry red palm mark on his face. 'Both of you can stay away from my daughter!'

'Mum, what are you doing?'

'That Doctor is dangerous. I've been told things. And he must be dangerous too if he travels around with him!'

'What are you talking about?'

'Look around you! Death and destruction.'

'It wasn't their fault! They saved us.'

Leo made a witty joke to try and lighten the mood but it didn't work.

There was an almighty crash and the Doctor and Sec ran to find out what it was. I started to follow them but mum held me back. 'Leave him.' I looked at her in the eyes and shook my head. I followed them as fast as I could. 'Martha?' Tish called after me. I turned back to them all. 'Stay there! I'll be fine, I promise.' Then I didn't look back.

When I found them they were stood outside the ambulance, the doors ripped off their hinges. The medics bodies were drained of life. 'Lazarus. Back form the dead.' The Doctor breathed in disbelief. 'Should have known really.'

'Where's he gone?' I asked as the Doctor scanned the area with his sonic screwdriver. He turned on his heel and stopped. 'The church… Cathedral.' He corrected himself and broke into a sprint and we followed him inside, the doors now hanging on their hinges.

The Doctor led the way, his sonic screwdriver ahead of him. 'Do you think he's in here?' I whispered to Sec as we followed the Doctor through the shadows cast by the brick columns. Sec lowered his face to my level. 'I can smell him, so yes.'

'Oh, great. Wonderful.' I replied, looking up at the windows that faint traces of light fell through.

The Doctor continued on as we slowed down. 'Have you come here for sanctuary?' He called out. We closed the gap between him quickly and checked behind us. Sec sniffed the air a few times. 'Doctor,' He whispered. The Doctor looked over his shoulder, slowing down slightly. 'He's near. Up there.' He nodded towards the altar. The Doctor nodded back at him and sped up again, his step more determined.

Climbing the small steps and passing the table we saw him. Human Lazarus was sat on the floor, wrapped in a blanket, his body making horrible cracking noises. He was retching and I felt sick watching him. The Doctor pocketed his screwdriver and stepped forward. Sec and I stood away from it. Best not to interfere when the Doctor was working.

Lazarus watched the Doctor with trepidation, his head hung in pain. 'I came here a lifetime ago. I thought I was going to die then. In fact, I was sure of it.' The Doctor stopped in front of him, his face cold. It was scary; I'd never seen him look at anyone like that before. Lazarus looked at the floor, remembering the sound of war. 'I sat here, just a child. The sounds of planes and bombs outside.'

'The blitz.' The Doctor finished.

Lazarus looked up at him with tears in his eyes. 'You've read about it.'

'I was there.' The Doctor contradicted.

'You're too young.'

'So are you.'

Lazarus laughed before his back cracked and he straightened in pain. I flinched as I heard that noise. 'In the morning the fires had died.' Lazarus continued. 'But I was still alive.'

Sec shifted next to me. I knew that he was remembering his philosophy that the Daleks had needed that ability themselves.

'I swore I'd never face death like that again. Slow, defenceless.' Lazarus gasped for breath. The Doctor circled him like a hawk as he continued. 'I'd arm myself, fight back. Defeat it.'

'That's what you were trying to do today.'

'That's what I did today.' Lazarus snapped.

'What about the other people that died?' The Doctor demanded getting angry.

'Knowing nothing. I changed the course of history.'

Was he a maniac before the experiment or had the sound waves done that for him? The Doctor snarled in anger. 'Any of them might have done too. You think history's only made with equations?' He stopped in front of Lazarus again and spoke, his voice had returned to calm. 'Facing death is part of being human. You can't change that.'

'No, Doctor!' Lazarus sneered, looking at Sec and me as well. 'Avoiding death. That's being human. It's our strongest impulse, to cling to life with every fibre of our being. I'm only doing what everyone before me has tried to do. I've simply been more… successful.'

His pause unnerved me more than the crack that followed. He thought that this was successful? I looked at Sec and he looked at me. I couldn't understand the look that glazed his eyes. The Doctor stood over Lazarus with complete calm. 'Look at yourself. You're mutating. You've no control over it and you call that a success?'

'I call it progress!'

'Really?'

There were more sickening snaps and then they stopped. Lazarus stared at the floor, wide eyed. 'I'm more now than I was. More than just an ordinary human.' He looked towards Sec who glared back at him. The Doctor moved towards Lazarus slightly. 'There's no such thing as an ordinary human.'

Lazarus fell to the floor with a howl. Sec looked unnerved and it wasn't because of Lazarus' slow mutation. I moved towards the Doctor and whispered to him 'He could change again at any minute.'

'I know.' He whispered back. 'If we get him up into the bell tower I have an idea that might work.' With that he left me to move closer to Lazarus who snarled at the close quarters contact. 'You're so sentimental, Doctor. Maybe you are older than you look. Maybe you both are.' With that he looked back at Sec. The Doctor shook his head. 'Lazarus, Sec and I are both old enough to know a longer life isn't always a better one. In the end you just get tired. Tired of the struggle.' Lazarus looked at the floor in shame or confusion, I'll never know. The Doctor continued. 'You get tired of loosing everyone who matters to you.' He paused. 'Tired of watching everything turn to dust.'

With that he knelt down next to Lazarus who was still gasping for air. 'If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you'll end up alone.'

'That's a price worth paying.' Lazarus breathed.

'Is it?' The Doctor replied, misery written on his face. 'Sec.'

Sec stepped forward and I looked on, confused. What were they doing? Sec stopped and unclipped his watch. As it slid from his wrist he transformed back to his normal self, his one eye still glazed and those tentacles wriggling madly. 'I knew it.' Lazarus whispered.

'We know you did, Lazarus.' The Doctor replied. 'We knew that you knew we weren't human a long time ago.'

Lazarus began to laugh. 'But she's human.' He said, nodding his head towards me. He threw his head back and a much louder crack filled the massive building and Sec returned to my side. When Lazarus doubled over he looked at the Doctor who was still knelt on the floor. 'I will feed soon.'

'I'm not going to let you.'

I'd had enough. Walking forward with determined steps I spoke out. 'Leave him Lazarus.' Lazarus turned to me with a horrible expression on his face. I continued, not showing fear because I didn't actually feel it. The shaking in my legs was adrenaline; because I knew anytime soon I'd have to make a run for the steps behind me. 'He's old and bitter. I thought you had a taste for fresher meat.'

The Doctor looked on in horror. 'Martha, no.' Lazarus smirked at me and leapt to his feet. In a flash I was running up the stairs with Sec on my heels, Lazarus howling after us.

* * *

_The Doctor_

I couldn't believe Martha. I appreciated her help but that was going a little too far considering Lazarus could run a lot faster than her. Lucky Sec was with her. They'd help each other out.

I ran underneath the bell tower, listening to Lazarus' howl. 'Where are they?' I asked out loud, panicking now. I heard another great howl. 'MARTHA!? SEC!?'

'DOCTOR!' I turned and saw Martha and Sec looking down on me from one of the above gothic arches. 'Right,' I started. 'Get him to the top, the very top! To the bell tower! Do you hear me!?'

'Up to the top!' Martha nodded. Sec turned to look down the corridor from where they had just run and grabbed Martha by the arm to make her move. They both ran and I caught a glimpse of Lazarus' many legs. I had to move.

Pelting across the floor, I ran up the stairs up to the organ. I fell into the organ bench and looked at the keys as well as my reflection in the mirror. I took out my Sonic Screwdriver and pulled it open with my teeth. 'Hypersonic sound waves.' I whispered. 'Inspired.' With that I placed my Sonic Screwdriver into the organ and made sure everything was ready. I heard Sec and Martha above me but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Then I heard Lazarus speak with a sickeningly smooth voice that said 'Hello, my friends.' There was the sound of heavy footsteps and then Martha's scream.

I stretched my fingers. 'I hope it's a good acoustic in here.' Without any further hesitation I put my feet on the pedals and played as loud as I could. I didn't even know what I was playing I just played. Those notes vibrated through my fingers and made them numb, magnified by the Sonic Screwdriver.

Then I heard Sec cry out Martha's name.

* * *

_Sec_

Martha had fallen off the edge of the platform, her progress not stopped by the railings which Lazarus had smashed. She clung onto the edge, her fingers slipping slowly. The music that was playing rang painfully in my ears as Lazarus dived at me. I ducked and ran to Martha's aid. 'TAKE HOLD OF MY LEG!' I commanded her which she did one hand at a time. Lazarus roared and swung his tail out at us and I caught it, fighting his strength with my own. Martha screamed below me as Lazarus pushed me to my knees with the weight and strength in his tail.

Pinned down by his tail, Lazarus' no longer saw me as a threat and so turned his attention to Martha who still clung to my ankle. 'GET AWAY FROM HER!' I called against the music that floated through the tower. My head rang, my vision blurred and my arms ached under the weight. I turned my head slightly to see Lazarus swing a leg out towards Martha who moved away from it as best she could.

Suddenly, the music rose to a higher pitch and volume. I howled and Martha screamed. The whole building shook and my arms suddenly felt light. Lazarus reeled above us, hissing, his body flailing about. He toppled from the platform, taking more railings with it and fell through the tower. There was a thunderous crash with a dying moan. The music stopped. The building was completely silent, save for the breeze that ran through it.

I took Martha's arms and pulled her to safety. We both sat against the wall in each others arms, our bodies shaking with adrenaline. 'Oh my God.' Martha breathed repeatedly. 'Oh my God.' The Doctor called out from somewhere beneath us. 'ARE YOU GUYS ALRIGHT!?'

'We're Okay! We're both Okay!' Martha shouted back.

Slowly, she turned to me with a smile. 'Thanks.' I smiled and nodded, examining my hand. It was covered in cuts. Martha was too. 'It is the Doctor you should be thanking.' I said, still shaking.

'He didn't stop me falling to my death.'

'That doesn't matter.' I took a deep breath. 'That was dangerous.'

'It always is. It's more fun that way.' She said with a smile and close to tears.

We sat there for a few minutes, waiting for the effects of the adrenaline to end. It was only before we left that we realised we were grasping hold of one another.

When we arrived downstairs, the Doctor was kneeling next to a withered old man. Lazarus.

* * *

Hmm... need more of the Doctor really, don't we? More of him next chapter then!

**Green Owl** - Hello! Yes, it would be funny if Dalek Sec looked like himself through all of this. It would make a different Lazarus storyline though. But I'll keep that in mind for one of my scenarios. Thanks!


	7. FortyTwo Minutes, EnCounting

Disclaimer - I own nothing belonging to the Doctor Who franchise (this all belongs to the exceedingly lucky BBC) apart from the tiny stories between the main episodes. I am making no money from this, I only write because I love it. Thanks for listening to the boring but necessary legal jorgony type stuff.

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX**

_The Doctor_

It was nice that Martha was now our permanent companion. Sec and I were both agreed on that. So, after escaping from her mother's wrath we pitched in Leeds (again). Except, this time, we were actually in 2007. Martha was impressed. So impressed she went shopping. On her way out I asked her to buy loads of CDs. I would have gone, but the TARDIS was in need of a Time Lord MOT. So, Sec and I stayed behind. She returned four hours later with bags of chocolate, some new clothes for Sec (he only had the one suit that properly fit him, apart from the monkey suit of course) and three bags full of CDs. Talk about extreme. HAH! Says me.

Life in the TARDIS wasn't always saving-the-world hassle. Most of the time we could sit around and put our feet up. Such an example happened three weeks after the Lazarus episode when Sec walked into the living room and found me with my feet on the table, waggling my bare toes. 'Oh, hi!' I said to him as I sat warming my now cold tea with the Sonic Screwdriver. Sec only waved slightly and sat in the chair by the fireplace. He was wearing his new black shirt and equally as black jeans. He took up a book from the coffee table and started reading. Soon after this Martha came into the room, listening to her ipod and singing at the top of her voice. Sec's eye squinted in concentration against the noise and tried to ignore her. I began to bop along to the music and spilt some tea down myself. 'Oh, now that's just great.' I said, soaking it up with a handkerchief from my trouser pocket. Sec, who was still reading, rolled his eye. 'It happens to the best of us, you.' I said. He looked at me over the top of his book. Martha was completely oblivious to what had happened, still dancing away to herself in her own little world. Hmm, where was my ipod? I hadn't left it on Mars, had I? Oh fudge.

I sat and though for a while, staring into the fire that was keeping my toes warm. 'I can't remember.' I said to myself.

'Pardon, Doctor?' Sec asked, lowering his book.

'My ipod. I think I lost it on Mars.'

'What!?' Martha shouted over her music. 'Doctor, you have a stain on your shirt!'

'Yes, I know.'

'What!?'

I waved my hand dismissively and wriggled my toes again. 'I want my ipod back. Damn you Mars.'

-------- Doctor • Who -------

Martha had been trying to contact her family for weeks now and hadn't told me. Silly. So I took her phone from her after lunch one day and fixed it up for her. 'What are you doing to my phone?' She asked as I used the Sonic Screwdriver to alter it. Sec was sat in the captain's chair, looking over the paper he hadn't finished yet. I finished my work and threw her phone back to her. 'Right, there we go. Universal roaming. Never have to worry about signal again.'

Her face lit up and looked at the new wallpaper on her phone. I looked at Sec who was smiling at Martha. 'No way.' She breathed, fiddling with the little mobile. 'You're telling me I can call anyone from anywhere in time and space on my mobile?'

'As long as you know the area code.' I replied with a smile.

She gave a squeal and bounced excitedly on the floor. 'It's part of the frequent flyers privilege.' I finished. 'Oh thank you!' Martha said as she threw her arms round me. It was more like a death grip than a hug but the sentiment was there. 'Go on, try it.' I chocked for air as she let go of me.

'Hm, who to talk to?'

'Not your mother. Please!'

Sec laughed at me for that and I reminded him that it wasn't just me that had been slapped. He fell strangely silent then. Hah.

I fell to me knees. 'What the...?' I looked about and saw that Martha too was on the floor. Sec was half on the seat, half on the floor. 'What was that?' The TARDIS shook violently. The alarm rang above us and I stood on my knees to see the monitor, fighting to stay straight in the continuous shaking. 'Distress signal! Locking up!' I called as my comrades in crime demanded to know what was happening. 'Might be a bit of…'

One last shake and it stopped. Martha's hair was all over the place and Sec had finally joined us on the floor. His paper was scattered all around the room. '… Turbulence.' I finished with a small laugh to try and lighten the mood. 'Sorry.'

We pushed ourselves from the floor and I ran shakily to the door. 'Come on! Let's have a look.' I opened the door slightly and was met with a blast of super hot air. I ducked inside and shut the door quickly. 'Whoa! That was hot… Blimey that was hot.'

'Doctor, where are we?' Sec asked, preparing to put on his watch.

'Sec, you won't be needing that. We're in the future.'

He nodded and pocketed the device. Martha looked past me. 'So? Where are we?'

'A ship. A very hot ship.'

I opened the door again, this time ready for the heat to meet me. It took the others by surprise though. 'I did warn you.'

'Shut up.' Martha moaned, throwing her jacket down on the floor of the TARDIS as she did. Sec did the same and discarded his tie, unbuttoning the first few buttons of his shirt. For some strange reason I only took off my tie and undid the top of my shirt. Clever Doctor.

We made our way outside and I locked the door behind us. Sweat had already started to cling to our clothes. Cor, this was unbearable. Sec had begun to open a thick door leading to another room and burnt his hand in the process. Thick metal doors. Oh dear. The three of us entered the new room and heard approaching footsteps. Hurried footsteps. 'What..?' Martha began but she was cut off by the group that suddenly appeared, led by a tall and imposing looking woman. 'GET OUT OF THERE!' They shouted almost in unison. I couldn't help but notice that they were all filthy.

'Close that door now!'

They barged past us and slammed the door shut. 'HEY! MY SHIP'S IN THERE!' I hollered.

'Who are you?' The woman demanded.

'MY SHIP! MY SHIP!'

'Who are you!? What are you doing on my ship!?'

One of the men behind looked on us with a mixture of horror and relief. 'Are you police?'

'Why would we be police?' I asked, suddenly calming down.

'We got your distress signal.' Martha finished for me.

Sec, who had been examining the new surroundings stepped forward. 'If this is a ship, why can't I hear any engines?'

'They went dead four minutes ago.' The imposing woman answered him, looking at Sec as if he were filth on her shoe. Ah, so it was the future, but not far enough into it that humans fully trusted aliens. That would be a problem. Another man stepped forward and confronted the woman who I now assumed was the captain. 'Maybe we should stop chatting and get to engineering?' The woman glared at him. It wasn't difficult to hear the disgust in the guy's voice when he spat 'Captain.' So I was right.

Above us a warning rang out _'Secure closure active.'_ An alarm rang constantly above us. The Captain spun around in horror. 'What?'

'This ship's gone mad…' Breathed the first man, the youngest, who had asked if we were police. Ahead of us, through the corridor, a woman ran as doors slammed shut behind her. 'Who activated secure closure?' She gasped as she jumped through the last door way before it locked her in with us. 'I nearly got locked into area twenty-seven!' This woman was just as mucky as the others. Something big must have been happening on this ship. Then she noticed us. 'Who are you?'

'He's the Doctor.' Martha stepped forward. 'And this is Sec. I'm Martha. Hello…' Her voice grew distant and distracted. She stepped past the two women and moved towards the window. The computer spoke again. _'Impact projection, forty-two minutes, twenty-seven seconds.'_

The Captain looked around at everybody. 'We'll get out of this. I promise.'

'Doctor?' Martha called from the window.

'Forty-two minutes until what?' I asked the Captain, ignoring Martha.

'DOCTOR!' I couldn't ignore her now. Sec and I rushed to her side and what the three of us saw made my blood run cold even though the room was stifling. It didn't help that the Captain stated 'Forty-two minutes until we crash into the sun…' That sun, that gigantic sun and slowly it was getting bigger as the ship floated into its growing gravitational pull.

* * *

There we go. A whole Doctor chappie! WEEEEEEEEEEE! A-hem, sorry. Sorry it's so short, but I haven't written the rest yet. I'll get down to that tommorow.

**Big Fan!!!** - Glad you liked Mrs. Jones episode with the Doctor and Sec. I thought "Well, she gets the Doctor. Let's see what would happen if she got Sec too!" LOL. Thanks for reviewing (now I finally realised I had the anon. reviews blocked. Sorry about that).

**Buchanchem** - Hey, thanks! Glad you like it so far. Thanks for the review. 

Next... Team Who hurtle towards the sun. Dum, dum, dummmm!


	8. A Question with no Answer

The legal stuffage... I do not own ANYTHING from the Doctor Who franchise, nor it's storylines (apart from the bits between episodes). I am making no money from this project, I am doing it only for fun. Thanks for listening. -

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Doctor

'_Ooooh kay, time to go.' _I thought as I turned on my heel sharply and ran to the Captain. I shook her by the shoulders, hardly noticing the shock on her face. 'How many crew members on board!?' I demanded her, gripping her tighter. She closed her eyes, as though she were counting. 'Seven, including us.' The eldest man stepped forward. 'We transport cargo across the galaxy. Everything's automated. We just keep the ship…'

'Hold on! I'll get you out! Call the rest of the crew!' I didn't care about their jobs, I cared about their lives and now was not the time to babble away about their careers. I headed for the door which they had locked earlier, thinking of my faithful blue box on the other side. Behind me I heard cries of 'What's he doing!?' from the crew. Wasn't it obvious? I was going to get them out! As I held onto the door, opening it, I could feel the heat on the other side. It didn't stop me though. With a tug, I wrenched the door open and was instantly thrown to the ground with a blast of super hot air. I heard Martha scream as my backside collided with the ground and I accompanied that with a cry of pain.

I felt hands pull me up. Martha had me in a sitting position and Sec was examining me. I couldn't care less. One of the crew, the young girl, was bolting the door tight shut. 'My ship's in there!' I cried again.

'How can your ship be in the vent chamber!?' The youngest man asked.

'Does it matter!?' I demanded, throwing myself from the ground, scattering Sec and Martha regardless. 'It's our lifeboat!'

'It's lava now mate.' The guy said.

The young girl turned to us and I saw that she was wearing a heat protective mask. She lifted it from her face and looked at the thermometer for the vent chamber. 'It's going mad in there; up three thousand degrees in ten seconds and still rising.'

I looked to Martha and Sec for their reaction. Martha looked petrified, Sec extremely confused. 'The closer we get to the sun, the hotter that room's gonna get.' The young man said. I knew that already. Even a monkey could work that one out. Martha glared at me, fear replaced by anger. 'We're stuck here.' She snapped. She fully realised that this might just be her last trip. I knew that too. 'So?' I asked, trying to remain positive. 'We fix the engines and steer the ship away from the sun. Simple! Engineering down here is it?' The others followed me, the Captain shouting 'yes' after me. Overhead the computer called out _'Impact in 40, twenty-six.'_ Great, an incessant countdown. Nothing like a bit of increased pressure.

I hurtled down a flight of stairs with Sec hot on my heels. The others were practically in our dust. Good, it would give us space to think. That's what I thought until we reached the engines and saw what state they were in. 'Blimey… do they always leave things in such a mess?' I approached the engines slowly. They were mangled beyond all belief. Sec overtook me and examined the machinery carefully. 'Doctor, this looks like sabotage.' He pointed to the heavy dents in the metal and the well cut valves and pipes. I ran my hand through my hair again. 'Great. Just what we need. There's a sinister twist in the story, like always. Why, just for once, can't we have a simple fault and not deliberate malice?' I felt like banging my head on the nearby girder and Sec knew it. 'Doctor, it can be fixed. It will take time but…'

'What the Hell happened!?' The Captain hollered.

'Oh my God…' Said one of the other crew.

The rest of the group had arrived. The Captain looked on in horror at the sight of the engines. 'Oh man, it's wrecked.' She said, crestfallen. 'Sabotaged.' Sec said plainly. 'Efficiently. Whoever did this knew what they were doing.' The Captain glared at Sec before turning to the rest of the crew. 'Where's Korwin?' She asked. Who in the universe was Korwin? 'Has anyone heard from him or Ashton?' She continued, gaining a grouped 'no'. Ignoring them and putting on my glasses, Sec and I began our attempts at fixing the blasted machinery. Human ships; ever faulty, easily broken.

'But why would someone do this on purpose?' Martha asked, approaching Sec and I slowly, not wanting to disturb us but feeling the need to. 'Don't know.' I answered, still working on the engine. 'To stop a delivery, for revenge, for a laugh, it could be anything.' The Captain called out on the intercom for Korwin and Ashton. 'Where the Hell are they?'

I moved onto a computer to see if that would help and I was presented with a map. 'Ah, the Taraji system. Lovely.' I said with a smile. At least if we were going to die we'd die in a nice galaxy. 'You're a long way from home, Martha.' I gave her a nod. 'Half the universe away.'

'Yeah, I can tell.

Sec smiled slightly, but it was a pained smile. The galaxy that had once held his home planet, Skaro, wasn't too far away from here. I made a mental note to never take him anywhere near that accursed spot ever again.

I made my way to the Captain, leaving Sec and Martha together. The Captain looked at me as I stopped by her side. 'You're still using energy scoops for fusion. Hasn't that been outlawed yet?' I looked at her over my glasses. She looked awkwardly at the young man who was sat on the steps next to us and then back to me. 'We're due to upgrade next docking.' I could tell by her defensive hands on hips and short and ruffled speech that she was lying. I turned to Sec who didn't look at all convinced either.

She brushed past me to the computer and barged into Sec who snarled slightly, but only loud enough to let me hear it. I walked to his side and patted his shoulder. 'Ignore her. She's self-centred.' The only response I got was a snort. We followed her to the console that everyone in the room had crowded around. 'I want the system report.' The Captain demanded. The man looked at her questioningly before doing as he was told. He typed in some codes. 'No response.'

'WHAT!?'

'I can't get anything back online.'

For the love of all things spacey, couldn't this crew get anything right? 'Oh, come on! Auxilary engines, every ship has them!' I took my glasses off and rubbed my temples.

'We don't have access from here.' The Captain responded. 'They're in the front of the ship, with 29 password sealed doors between us and them.'

'Can't you override them!?' Martha demanded. The Captain glared at her too. Sec really didn't like that as his very audible growl told me. The older man stepped forward. 'Look love, sealed closure does everything it says on the tin. It can't be overridden.'

I felt like screaming but (shockingly) said casually 'Well, the Sonic Screwdriver's no use.' The crew looked at me as if I were mad.

Sec

How could one person be so unintelligent enough to not allow an override in a grave emergency? 'We've got no chance…' The man behind me sighed. The Doctor's head turned sharply to him. 'Oh listen to you. Defeated before you even started! Where's your Dunkirk spirit?' The man looked away in shame. Martha shifted beside me. 'Who's got the door passwords?'

'They're randomly generated.' The youngest man spoke. He looked at us all with a smile. 'Sorry, I'm Riley by the way.'

'Well Riley,' The Doctor started. 'Get on with it.'

'It's a three person job. Someone to answer the questions, someone to open the latches and someone to carry this…' He pulled down a large magnet from the nearby shelf as well as a protective mask.

'Well, I'll help you.' Martha said, taking hold of the magnet. I felt something inside me go cold. I couldn't let her do this without someone who was truly experienced. 'And I will go too.' I said.

The Doctor looked pleased. As we left he called to us 'Be careful'. With one last look at him, Martha and I followed Riley away from engineering and into a series of boiling corridors. Behind us, I heard the man named Ashton on the intercom, calling to the Captain whom we discovered to be named McDonald.

Riley led us through the maze of corridors to the front of the ship. As we reached the first of the locked doors the computer called above us, warning everyone on board that the heat shields were quickly failing. _'Impact in thirty-two, fifty.' _Riley made his way over to a small computer and typed something in. 'Right, put that magnet on the slide, kay?'

'Kay.' Martha said, doing as she was told.

'And when I say, pull the slide towards you, kay?'

'Kay.'

'As for you…' He turned to me. 'You're pretty heat resistant, aren't you?'

'Yes.' I answered, watching him observe me.

'Well, those doors will be getting super hot. So, we need you to open the locks on the doors so she can unslide them.'

I nodded in understanding and took my place opposite Martha at the door. She gave me a quick raise of her eyebrows before turning to Riley. 'What are you typing?' She asked, now that he was on the computer again. 'The answer to a random question set by the crew.'

'So you type in the right answer and we get to open the door.'

'Exactly.'

Finally, this crew had come up with a good idea. I closed my eye and concentrated on contacting the Doctor. After my attempts at psychic communication at Lazarus Laboratories, the Doctor and I had practiced it to make my ability stronger. Now I could only hope he would be able to hear me. _'Doctor, what are you discovering?'_ It took a while but I got my response. _'Well, we found Ashton and Korwin. Turns out Korwin and McDonald are married.' _The Doctor told me, his thoughts echoing in my mind. _'But there's something wrong with this guy. He's ill but I can't put my finger on what it is. He's burning up more than we are.'_

'_Thank you, Doctor.'_

'_What about you? Where are you?'_

'_We are at the first door, waiting for the boy to enter the password.'_

'_Okey-dokey, I'll leave you to it. If you need me, tell me, alright?'_

'_I will Doctor.'_

Riley typed away to himself, taking quick glances at Martha and myself. 'We only get one chance per door.'

'Better get it right then,' Martha replied, looking at me.

'Don't worry. The crew and me know the answers by heart.' To prove this he tapped his chest before turning back to the screen. 'OK, then.' He said, rolling up his sleeves. 'Date of the S.S. Pentallian's first flight. That's alright.' He typed in his answer quickly and I felt a vibration beneath my hands. 'Right, go!' He called to Martha, who pulled the magnet towards her along with the slide. When she had got it as far as she could, she pulled it from the metallic surface and I wrenched the door open. Martha laughed with glee as we both bounded into the now open corridor, followed quickly by Riley. 'Only twenty-eight more to go!'

It was then that the Doctor gave me an update on his predicament_. 'I thought it was about time I checked on Abby, the ship's medic, and her new patient Korwin, so I called her up on the intercom and asked her for his report but she only told me to wait whilst she examined it.'_

'_But why would that be of any importance, Doctor?'_

'_I have a feeling whatever's happening on this ship is linked to this guy's illness… or vice versa. But never mind that now. Where are you?' _

'_We have just opened the first door.'_

'_Great. Get a move on.'_

Then he left. I blinked in confusion and caught up with Martha and Riley who had flew ahead of me in my conversation with the Doctor. The intercom bleeped above us and the Doctor's voice carried through the passageway. 'Martha? How are you doing?'

'We're in area twenty-nine! Door twenty-eight!'

'You've got to move faster!'

'We're doing our best!'

I looked up at the intercom in confusion. I knew Martha wasn't fully capable of telepathic communication and hadn't fully understood my attempts at doing so with her at Lazarus laboratories, but why hadn't the Doctor asked me this in the conversation we had just had? I shook my head. Never would a Gallifreyan confuse me so much as he would.

'Find the next number in the sequence.' Riley said to himself as he typed on the second computer. '313, 331, 367…' I took my place at the door and looked at Martha. She looked back at me. The small smile she gave me brought some faint glimmer of hope to this desperate situation. Riley looked at us both in confusion. 'What?'

'You said all the crew knew the answers.' Martha said, rather worried now.

'The crew's changed since we set the questions.'

'You're joking… You said you knew them by heart! You lied!'

I thought to myself. Those numbers… '379!' I shouted. Riley squinted at me. 'Pardon?'

'It's a sequence of happy climb…'

'Happy what?' Martha asked.

'Look, are you sure?' Riley demanded of me.

'Yes, I'm sure! Any number that reduces the one where you take the square of the digit…'

'Look, don't explain, just let me type it in.'

The lock gave way, Martha pulled it away from the door and I tugged the portal open, burning my hands slightly in the process. Above us the intercom crackled with the Doctor's voice again. 'Guys, be careful. There may be something else on board this ship.'

'Any time you want to unnerve me, feel free.' Martha replied with a roll of her eyes.

'OK, I will do.'

The computer still counted away. _'Impact in thirty, fifty.'_

* * *

To My Reviewers -

Thanks all for being patient with me. I am slow at times, so I'm really sorry.

**big fan - **thanks for the 10/10 rating. It is much appreciated.

**ZenPotter - **glad you're enjoying the story. You're lucky though... I _nearly_ did do a story with Rose in it. LoL.

**Lady Willow Rose - **You know me too well. - 

**Barefootonthemoon -** thanks! I just love Sec so I wanted to keep him. Besides, who doesn't love a good alien companion?

**pachysam - **thanks for reminding me about the Dalek/Master bit; I'd completely forgotten. Hehehehe, I can have fun with that. Thanks!

**To all my other reviewers - **Thanks much for your support. I really appreciate it. Thanks guys!


	9. Korwin Lost

Disclaimer - I own nothing from or about Doctor Who. Unfortunatley. These wonderful things of joy belong to more powerful mortals than I... unfortunately. I am making no money from this piece.

Thanks for listening to this monotonous monologue. :)

* * *

_CHAPTER NINE_

The Doctor

'Now, where was I? Here comes the sun… No! Resources. So…' The crew were giving me funny looks. As I started and stopped, trying to think. 'The generator's still working. 'I continued. 'If we can harness that… ah!'

'Use the generator to jump start the ship?' McDonald asked, scrutinising me.

'Exactly!' I said with a stupid grin. 'At the very least it will buy us some more time.'

'That is brilliant.' She looked gobsmacked but thankful.

'I know! See? Tiny glimmer of hope.'

'If it works…' The guy whose-name-I still-didn't know muttered. I sent him a scathing look. 'You've got to believe it will. Otherwise we're all doomed.' McDonald turned to him as well. 'I believe. And I believe you're going to make it work.'

The guy left. Ashton, who had arrived about half an hour ago, smirked as he stormed away. I turned back to the captain. 'That told him.' I said with a wide eyed and toothy grinned expression.

'_Impact in twenty-nine-forty six.' _Okay, that computer was really beginning to annoy meI'd already tried to shut it up, but Ashton had caught me trying to mute it with the Screwdriver. Damn.

* * *

Martha

Great. Stuck again. Who had more number ones? The Beetles or Elvis? How the Hell would I know? I don't like the Submarine-ites or the guy with the extendable fringe. 'Right, I'll ring my mum. She should know.' I saw Sec shrink away from me as I said it. Riley looked at my phone. 'Wow! We learnt about them in school! They're called Mobbies, aren't they?'

'Mobiles, yeah.'

Riley looked well impressed but then he looked confused beyond all belief. 'How can that still work? And how come you have one? They're obsolete.'

'I'll explain later.' I said with a smile as I put my phone to my ear.

It rang. And rang. And rang. And rang. 'Oh, pick it up, will you?' A second later I heard my mum's voice. 'Mum! It's me, it's Martha!'

'Where are you?' I heard her ask with her usual irritated tone. 'Don't you check your messages? I've been calling you.'

'Actually, I'm a bit busy; I need you to do something for me.'

'No! Listen to me. We need to talk about this Doctor…'

Oh for the love of… I turned to Sec and gave him a despairing glance. He rolled his eye and nodded. Then I remembered that he could probably hear what she was saying. 'Mum, please not now. I need you to look something up on the internet.'

'Do it yourself, you've got a computer.'

'OH, JUST DO IT WILL YOU!!??'

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. I turned to Riley who looked a little amused and then to Sec who had is face in his hand, sighing. 'Please?' I asked her, begging her. 'When did you get so rude? Oh I know… when you met those two.' I rolled my eyes and walked over to Sec who was now leaning against the wall, waiting as patiently as he could. He tutted at my mother's comment. 'I need to know who had the most number ones; the Beetles or Elvis?'

'Hang on, my mouse is unplugged.'

I gave out a muffled scream. How could she be so slow? Sec breathed heavily and I watched as his lips formed a very thin line.

'Okay, hang on…' Mum said. I heard the clicking of keys in the background. 'What is this, some kind of pub quiz?'

'Yeah, pub quiz.'

'Using your mobile is cheating.' I could hear the small grin in her voice.

'Oh well. Have you found it?'

'There's over four-hundred-thousand results, give me a minute.'

Above us the computer spoke again. _'Impact in twenty-eight, fifty.'_ 'What was that?'

'Nothing, mum. Just a clue for another question.'

* * *

The Doctor 

The intercom rang above us. 'Doctor, these readings are starting to scare me.' Abby said. I paused and looked at the intercom. 'What do you mean?'

'Korwin's body is changing…' McDonald's face fell as she heard this. 'His whole biological make-up.' The medic's voice rose in pitch. 'It's impossible.' There was a pause for a few seconds. A deathly pause. I looked to the crew who were with me and they had all turned pale shades of grey, McDonald was sliding down the wall that she had propped herself against as she heard the news about Korwin. 'This is Med centre!' Her voice crackled again. 'Urgent assistance required!' I felt myself go cold again, but this time it was a horrible kind of cold. The kind when you know something you can't stop or prevent is going to happen. And you're powerless. 'URGENT ASSISTANCE..!'

I ran. I ran and I ran quickly, tripping over cables and scrapping my arms on sharp metal. 'Stay here!' I shouted to the others as I left the room. 'URGENT ASSISTANCE!!' Abby panted, her voice no more than a whisper. _'Doctor?' What is it? The intercom…' _

I ran faster as I turned out from the corner that I hurtled into. _'I have blocked it.'_

'_Sec, are you guys alright?'_

'_What is happening!?'_

'_I don't know… I don't know…' _I told him, my voice hopeless now.

The intercom crackled again. But this time it wasn't Abby's voice. 'Burn with me…' It said, sounding positively demonic. 'Burn with me…'

'_Doctor…'_

I turned to find the Captain and the nameless-guy following me. 'I told you guys to stay where you were!'

'I only take orders from one person around here…' Nameless snapped at me as he and the Captain rushed past. 'Is he always this cheery?'

* * *

Martha

'Elvis.' My mum said plainly. I looked around confused. 'What? Really? Elvis!' I said in surprise, pointing at the computer. Riley took the hint. He ran to the computer and as he did, so did Sec, who did both my job and his. The door opened and we jumped through it. 'Mum, you're a star!' I said with a smile.

'Now, we need to have a serious…'

My blood ran cold as I heard the medic's scream above me. Sec nearly dropped the magnet and looked at me. Riley turned completely white. 'What was that?' Mum asked, her voice suddenly tainted with panic. I paused before I answered. 'I've got to go.' The call terminated. I looked at Sec and he looked back at me. We were both thinking the exact same thing and I knew it. We could be next. 'Doctor, what were those screams?' I demanded, holding my face close to the intercom.

'Concentrate on those doors! You've gotta keep moving forwards!' He howled back at me, his voice crackling sharply.

'

* * *

To my reviewers -

**big fan!!! - **Don't panic, dear. I'm still here :) Glad you like the story, though! Thank ye!

**Lady Willow Rose -** Sorry. Posessed-ness-ness happens soon. I'm sure you'll get over it. Lol... please don't hurt me.

**Dorey **- Glad you liked the door trio. Couldn't have a Dalek and not use him for anything, could we? ;)

**Metalchick36 **- Thank you very much for the review!

**Kimbo-demonica **- Don't worry. I'll squeeze Sec in the Family of Blood story... probably as a caretaker. Lol

**Luciun Weasley-Ogg** - Thanks for the review!!


	10. I Wish I Knew

Disclaimer - I own nothing from Doctor Who, excepth the little bits between episodes (which have been sadly lacking). These belong to the BBC (lucky... damn lucky...) I am making no money from this project. Yay.

* * *

CHAPTER TEN

The Doctor

'_Impact in twenty-seven, oh six'_. We burst through the plastic blinds into the medical centre, slowing to find an empty stasis centre. 'Korwin's gone…' McDonald breathed, looking down on the vacant table. That was when I heard Nameless mutter 'Oh my God.' I turned to see what he was looking at. I wish I hadn't. Abby's silhouette was burnt against the wall, stuck forever like the bodies of Pompeii in a horror stricken pose. The only scrap of evidence that she had been in this room only moments before.

I moved towards her slowly, breathing heavily. 'Tell me that's not…' Nameless started. I nodded, cutting him off. I ran my fingers over the silhouette. Fine traces of ash stuck to my fingers. A little bit of Abby. I felt sick. 'Vaporisation.' I whispered, more to myself than the others. 'I've never seen one this ferocious.' I turned to them and was met by horror stricken faces. Looking to the ceiling, I thought about that voice that had taunted me over the intercom. 'Burn with me…'

'That's what we heard Korwin saying.' Nameless looked at the Captain. Her shoulders were hunched, making her almost cat like. 'What? You think..?' She snapped in disbelief. 'No! Scannell, tell him. Korwin is _not_ a killer!' No-longer-Nameless turned to me. The Captain continued. 'He can't vaporise people. He's human!' She finished. I begged to differ, looking at Abby's notes. 'These bio scan results… internal temperature… one-hundred degrees! Body oxygen replaced by hydrogen.' I looked at her with pity. 'You're husband hasn't been infected, he's been overwhelmed…'

The paper was snatched from my hand by an angry captain. 'THE TEST RESULTS ARE WRONG!!'

'What is it though?' I asked myself. 'A parasite? A genetic virus? That means he's the host body, but how did it get inside him?'

'STOP IT!' McDonald nearly shrieked. 'STOP TALKING LIKE HE'S SOME SORT OF EXPERIMENT!'

'Where's this ship been? Have you made a landing recently?'

She shook her head.

'Docked with any other vessels? Any external contact at all?'

'What is this? Interrogation!?'

'I need to stop him before he kills again.'

McDonald was breathing heavily now. Her pupils dilated and I knew whatever she was telling me she was lying. She turned from me and buried her face in her hands. 'Doctor, can you just give her a minute, please?' Scannell asked me, pleaded with me.

McDonald turned back to the door and left. 'I'm fine. Need to warn the crew…' She muttered as she left. I was alone with Scannell. We looked at each other awkwardly. 'So…' I started.

'So…' He finished. Then we kept quiet. The intercom broke the silence as McDonald addressed the whole ship. 'Everyone, listen up! Something has infected Korwin. We think…' She paused, and I heard her ragged breath before she spoke again. 'He killed Abby Learner. None of you must go anywhere near him, is that clear?'

'_Impact in twenty-one, fifty four.' _I lifted Korwin's X-rays up to the light, trying to find something that would tell me what had happened to that poor man's body. 'Is the infection permanent?' McDonald asked me. She was sat on a nearby bench, staring at the stasis chamber. 'Can you cure him?' She looked at me, to Scannell and back to me. 'I don't know.' I answered her plainly.

'Don't lie to me, Doctor.' She stared at me with such a ferocity that I thought I might end up burnt. 'Eleven years, we've been married.' She said, her eyes turning glassy as memories flooded her head. 'We chose this ship together. So don't give me false hope.' The determination in her voice was not unsettling. I knew exactly how she felt. 'The parasites too aggressive; you're husband's gone.' Relief and anxiety filled her. 'There's no going back?'

'No. I'm sorry.'

She nodded, slowly at first but it became steadily more forced. 'Thank you.'

I had to know. Moving around the stasis chamber I looked down on her, inquisitive. 'Are you sure nothing happened to provoke this? Working on anything secret?' She shook her head as I spoke, her eyes not reaching mine. 'It's vital that you tell me!'

'I know every inch of this ship. I know every detail of my crew's lives. There is nothing.' She looked at me now, but her pupils were diluted again. Liar.

'Then why is this thing so interested in you?'

'I wish I knew…'

* * *

Sec

We were through to area seventeen. I found that the sign had some sadistic humour to it as I read what it said. 'Warning; danger of death.' I muttered to myself as I jumped through the door after Martha and Riley. 'Doctor! We're through to are seventeen!' Martha called on the intercom.

'Keep going! You need to reach area one and reboot those engines.'

I looked at Martha who was hard at work, carrying the magnet to the door and locking it in place. 'Come on!' She called to the boy, who had been quickly slowing down. 'You heard the Doctor!'

'I'm tired.'

'Yeah? Well so are we.' She nodded her head in my direction. 'But you don't see us complaining. _AND_ Sec's burnt his hands really bad. But he isn't stopping.' I felt my face burn and I turned away from her quickly. I hadn't wanted her to see my reactions to the now burning doors. A heavy noise rang in my head, but I chose to ignore it. After, I would regret this decision.

'_Heat shields failing; at twenty percent.' _Martha nearly chocked behind me. 'You see? NOW GET A BLOODY MOVE ON!'

'I would if everything on this ship wasn't so cheap!' Riley said, struggling with the failing computer as Martha ran to help him.

The heavy noise rang again, but this time it was also heard by my companions. We all turned to the door from which heavy red and, possibly toxic, smoke was billowing fast. 'Who's there?' Riley demanded, his voice tainted with panic. Another bang. I moved slowly to Martha's side and held her arm. Something wasn't right. 'We have to go now.'

'It's just another crew member…'

'Martha, we need to get out now.'

A figure emerged from the smoke, wearing a heat protective mask, his breathing magnified. 'Is that Korwin?' Martha asked, taking a small step back. 'Naw, that's Ashton!' Riley said, stepping forwards with a smile. Martha gave me a triumphant grin. 'Ashton, what are you doing mate? You had us scared for a minute then..'

'GET BACK!!' I reached out and took Riley by the shoulders, pulling him back towards us. Two tight clenched fists hovered where his throat had just been. 'Oh my God…' Riley breathed, holding his neck.

The man who had once been Ashton stepped forwards once more, lowering his arms. 'Burn. With. Me.' It was the same demonic voice that we had heard over the intercom.

'Ashton..?' Riley asked, completely terrified now. I pulled him back further, taking hold of Martha as I did. 'BURN WITH ME!' The creature lifted its hand to the visor of the mask. My heart stopped. We were going to die, just as Abby had. 'Martha…' I turned to her but she had other ideas. 'MOVE!' She pulled on mine and Riley's arms towards another smaller door, hitting a small seal and we ran through into a room containing a small escape pod. The door of the room shut behind us and the creature looked at us through it. What did it have behind that visor?

Riley opened the pod and told us both to jump inside. I was not convinced this would save us, it was only pushing us into a corner from which we could not escape. But I did what Martha needed of me, as she called me in after her and Riley. The possessed Ashton hit the door with sickening thuds that hurt my head as I climbed into the small portal and closed the door behind me. We sat there, in the blue light, watching the creature outside. It turned it's head sideways, reached out, and hammered controls with heavy fingers. The airlock closed before our eyes. _'Airlock sealed. Jettison escape pod.' _It was then that I held Martha's hand in fear.

* * *

**TO MY REVIEWERS -**

I'm going on holiday now, so I won't have access to the internet… ((cries))

But I shall be writing more! Do not panic, I can't leave this story, it makes me too happy. I'll finish 42 (I hope) and work on my own Who story that will link 42 to Human Nature. Till then… sorry. You'll have to be patient, but good things will come!

Mongy out!

XxX

**Lady Willow Rose -** I love to build suspense. You should know that by now. Lol.

**Big fan!! -** Stop panicking. Rofl. But it's nice to see you like the story :)

**Grumpygrim -** Thanks for the review and here's your update! ;)

**Bekah26 -** I know how you feel :( They killed off my fave Dalek. Meanies. But now, he lives!

**Dorey -** I thought a caretaker would be funny too. And I don't think I'll have Sec with a phone again… he might end up breaking it or something.

**Thepennameboo -** I can't help being evil. And nothing scares me. Mwahahahaha… ((cowers in fear)) Aw, my fic rocks, thank you!


	11. Released

**Author's Note**

Hi guys! Sorry it's been a while. I got home from holiday and had exam results plaguing my mind. Now I'm going to university so it's a bit of a hectic time here right now. But I'll update where and when I can ;D ! Sorry to keep you waiting!

**Disclaimer -** I do not own anything from Doctor Who. Theses of course belong to the original creators, Russell T Davies, scriptwriters and the BBC. The only thing I can hold claim to are the small stories between the main episodes. So there, end of legal rabble.

* * *

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Martha

'That doesn't mean us?' I whirled around, desperate to know what the hell was going on. When I didn't get an answer (Sec was still clinging onto my hand and Riley made for the control panel) I threw my self at the door and screamed for the Doctor.

'_Jettison activated.' _Oh, that stupid computer!! That mask was gazing blankly at me. As chills ran down my spine watching it, I pushed Riley from the control panel, threw Sec's hand from me and hollered to the Doctor down the intercom. 'Doctor! We're stuck in an escape pod in the area seventeen airlock.' I surprised myself at how calm my voice was compared to what was going on in my head. But then all hell broke loose in my throat. 'ONE OF THE CREW'S TRYING TO JETTISON US! YOU'VE GOT TO HELP US!!' I hardly breathed as I screamed this down the channel. I looked back outside and breathed heavily in panic. 'Tell me you can stop it.' I asked Riley without looking at him; my face was stuck facing that mask outside.

Sec pulled me back away from the door, away from that black strip where eyes should have been seen. Riley kept typing away and suddenly, like a voice of hope, the computer said '_Jettison held.' _Riley breathed at last and put his head against the wall. 'Thank you.'

'_Jettison reactivated.' _I screamed and looked through the door. That thing! That thing! That bloody thing was trying to kill us! I went mad, throwing myself from Sec's grasp and pummelling the door, screaming like a mad woman. Yeah, I had never told anyone I had claustrophobia. Now, it was making our whole situation worse. Riley continued to hit keys with heavy fingers. 'Hang on!' He breathed, trying to beat that demon outside to whatever circuit it was trying to hack. _'Jettison held. Escape pod secured.' _

The three of us breathed at last. I put my hand on Riley's shoulder and rubbed it. 'You are pretty good.' I treated him to my biggest smile. Sec shifted awkwardly but I ignored him. I didn't need his problems to bug me right now. But then riley was pressing buttons again. That bloody psycho had started it's code hammering again!

I watched as the thing outside turned it's head to the side. Then I knew. 'Doctor… The Doctor! He's out there!' Sec already knew of course' his head had been following the Doctor's progress for the last minute. Suddenly, the ex-crew member rammed its fist into the control panel outside and an almighty crash rang in our ears. _'Jettison activated.'_

'He's broken the system. I can't stop it.'

All hope was lost from me then.

* * *

The Doctor

'Come on… I want to see what you really are.' The man named Ashton had his masked face so close to mine I could smell the burning behind it. He lifted his hand to his visor, My hearts beat faster, anticipating what I might see on the other side. But before I could see beyond the mask, into the windows of the soul, Ashton howled and collapsed on the floor before straightening and marching past me, as if I had never existed in his memory. He barged past me, barging my shoulder and knocking the air out of me.

Ignoring this, I ran to the door through which I stared at an empty room and then into the pod. Martha and Sec were gazing at me, pleading for safety. I hammered the intercom quickly. 'McDonald! Ashton's heading in your direction! He's been infected, just like Korwin.'

'Korwin's dead, Doctor.' Scannell answered me, sounding completely defeated.

'_Jettisoning pod.' _'Oh no…' I looked back through the door at my two friends, their faces plagued with fear. Martha was banging the glass, but all I could hear were tiny little taps from her ring. She must have been hitting the glass bloody hard. 'Oh, some one with higher powers, have mercy!' I thought aloud, looking helplessly through the door at Martha's hopeful and smiling face. The only comfort I could give them was shouting to them 'I'll save you!' Her face fell. Oh, God, had Sec heard me? Yes, he had, as Martha turned to him and I saw his lips move to mimic what I had said.

Martha looked back at me, still hitting the glass. She called my name, I knew. 'I'll save you!' The noise of disengaging locks thundered in my ears. No… not now. I can't loose anyone else! I've lost too many friends! 'NO!' I hollered. 'MARTHA! SEC! I'LL SAVE YOU!'

The pod left the ship, Martha's hands ceasing their work slowly as the small vehicle floating away into space, and still I called out to them 'I'LL SAVE YOU!!' until they were nothing but a spot against the massive burning star that they would soon fall into to. What had I done?

'_Impact in seventeen, oh five.'_

* * *

**To my reviewers -**

Big fan!!! and Dorey - Sorry it's such a short chapter this time round. I did it in the space of an hour about ten minutes ago. Lol! Just hadn't done any of 42 on my holiday (I forgot the DVD) and haven't done any since I got home. Sorry. My bad ((smacks back of hand)).


	12. A Living Sun

Disclaimer - I own nothing from or about Doctor Who (ha! If only). I can only hold claim to the storylines between eah of the main BBC episodes. I am making no moey from this project, just a lot of fun. Whoppee! XD

* * *

CHAPTER 12

The Doctor

'Scannell, I need a spacesuit in Area seventeen, now!' I called down the intercom, looking back out of the window. They were still a spot in the distance. Good, I still had time to help them. 'What for?' Scannell asked, noticeably peeved. He just wasn't as peeved as me. 'JUST GET DOWN HERE!!!'

* * *

Sec

'The wonderful world of space travel. The prettier it looks, the more likely it is to kill you.' Riley said with a sarcastic laugh to his voice. He and Martha sat at the window, looking longingly outside into space. I sat in a corner of the capsule, looking at my hands. They were burnt, but I wouldn't have to worry about that for much longer. I could already hear the cataclysmic explosions on the face of that huge star.

'He'll come for us.' Martha said quietly, still trying to find some faint glimmer of hope in a hopeless situation. 'It's too late.' Riley shook his head, speaking calmly. 'The heat shield's will pack in any minute and then… we freefall.'

'You don't know the Doctor.' Martha croaked.

I breathed and closed my eye. After all I'd been through I'd die by floating into a sun, completely helpless. I'd die, my friends would die, and we wouldn't die fighting.

'I believe in him.' Martha began to cry gently. I looked at her but found nothing I could say would help. Riley turned away from the window and looked at me. He gave me a quick smile before staring blankly into space. 'At least you guys have someone to believe in…' Martha turned to look at him. 'No girlfriend?' He shook his head. 'Boyfriend?' He laughed slightly but shook his head all the same. He looked at both of us and smiled. 'This job doesn't support stable relationships.'

'Family then?'

'My dad's dead. Haven't seen my mum in six years. She didn't want me to sign up for cargo tours. Things were said and… since then we haven't spoken. She was so stubborn. Just wanted to hang on to me.'

'Mums are like that.' Martha said with a small laugh. Her humour had no effect on me today.

I knew how Riley felt. When my Daleks turned on me… I breathed heavily and glared at the ground, fully aware that their eyes were on me. 'You alright?' Riley asked, placing his hand on my shoulder. I didn't answer for a few moments, contemplating my feelings. Oh, it wouldn't matter now! 'I have no family.' I answered quietly. 'And my species revolted against me.' Now it was Martha's turn to shift uncomfortably. I stared Riley in the eye and saw complete shock. 'Were you your species' ruler?'

'I was their leader.'

'Holy cow.' He turned to Martha. 'And they just turned…'

'Yeah.' Martha answered for me. 'Just because he was trying to find a new way for them to survive.'

'Well, you make my story look wonderful, mate.' He said with a friendly smile.

Riley leant against the wall and turned to Martha. 'What about you?'

'The works.' She said, trying to hold back tears. 'Mum, dad, dad's girlfriend…' She broke off when she saw Riley try to look un-perplexed. 'Sister, brother. There's only silence left.' I moved to her side and held her hand as tears began to stain her cheeks. 'Now there's only silence. God!' She broke into hysterics. 'They'll never know. I'll just have disappeared! And they'll always be waiting.'

At least she was lucky to have someone to miss her when she was gone. I didn't have that luxury. I threw those bitter thoughts from my mind and instead focused on what was happening then.

Riley looked at us both with great sincerity. 'Martha, call them.' She looked at him and almost cried with glee. 'You're brilliant.'

'I do try.'

The looks she gave him then… I snatched my hand from her and moved back into my corner, shocking even myself with my actions. That was the first time I had ever felt jealousy.

* * *

The Doctor

'I can't let you do this.' Scannell said as I finished tightening the spacesuit I now wore. Funny, it looked like the spacesuit I wore when I was on that strange, strange planet with the Beast… and Rose. I allowed myself one fleeting memory of her face before I turned to face Scannell. 'You're wasting you're breath. You're not going to stop me.'

'You want to open an airlock on a ship that's hurtling towards a sun. no one can survive that!' Still, he was trying to talk me out of it.

'Oh, just you watch.'

'When you open that airlock it's suicide. The shield's will barely protect you.'

Right, I'd had enough of him now. 'Look, I appreciate your concern, but if I can reach the magnetic lock on the ship's exterior it should bring back the pod. And while I'm out there you've got to get the rest of those doors open. We NEED those auxiliary engines…'

'Doctor! Will you listen, they are too far away! It's. Too. Late.'

I looked at him in the eyes and dared him to say something more. He didn't. 'Listen you, I'm not going to loose her…'

'And what about your other friend? And Riley? Do you not care about them? He's supposed to be your friend, Doctor.'

'SHUT UP! HE IS MY FRIEND! I KNOW! BUT HE IS USED TO SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, MARTHA ISN'T! SHE WILL BE TERRIFIED, SEC WILL BE CALM! DON'T TELL ME I DON'T CARE!!!'

I rammed the helmet over my head and glared at him. Scannell cowered as I towered over him and he nodded. Locking the helmet in place I marched past him and into the airlock, listening to the door lock behind me.

'_Decompression initiated.' _I hated that damned computer, it just made everything worse. I stared at the sun through the door that slowly began to unlock. Fear rose in my throat and made my breathing difficult. I breathed harder, trying to get some more oxygen in my system.

'_Impact in twelve, fifty five.'_

* * *

Martha

The phone rang and rang and rang again. 'Oh please, mum. Pick up!'

'Hello?' Answered an uncertain voice on the other end.

'Me again.' I said, biting my lip. 'Sorry about earlier.'

'Is everything alright?' I could hear that she was worried.

'Yeah, course…'

'Martha?'

Sec looked at me for the briefest moment and turned away again. I knew what he was thinking. He was thinking how lucky I was to have a mother. I felt sorry for him; he'd never know what it would be like to have a family unit… oh God, I sounded like the Doctor then.

I shook my head and continued. 'Mum, you know I love you, don't you?'

'Of course I do. What's brought this on?'

'I never say it. Never get the time, never think of it and then… I really love you.' I tried not to break down into tears because then she _would_ be worried. 'Tell dad, Leo and Tish that I love them too.'

'Martha, what's wrong?'

'Nothing. Just promise.'

'Where are you?'

'Just out.'

'With anyone nice?'

'Some mates…'

'What mates?' I looked at Sec. He was on guard. He signalled to me that something was wrong on my mum's side of the conversation. I just ignored him.

'Mum, can we not just talk?'

'Of course…' She replied after a few moments. 'What do you want to talk about?'

'I don't know. Anything. What you had for breakfast, what you watched on telly last night, how much you want to kill dad…'

'Is the Doctor with you?' Mum started getting angry now, I could hear it.

'Mum, just leave it.' I was too tired to argue anymore.

'It's a simple enough question!'

After a pause, I said goodbye and put the phone down. That wasn't the way I wanted my final conversation with her to go… I turned to Riley and hugged him as tight as I could. Then, he planted a small kiss on my forehead A small growl filled the capsule.

* * *

The Doctor

'_Impact in eleven, fifteen. Heat shields fading at ten percent.' _

I marched forwards as the door opened and was nearly pulled out through the portal. Squinting in the brightness of the ever looming sun, I clung onto the portal and pulled myself out, holding as tight as I could to the side. I could see the magnetic lock, just sat there, staring at me. I swung out to pull myself up but nearly lost my grip. Taking a moment to regain my grip I tried again only this time I was a little more successful. My hand narrowly missed the bloody thing as I swung out at it. 'Aargh, this suit!' I couldn't move properly! Again I tried. My foot slipped. My hand caught the side of the portal. 'AARGH!' Pulling myself up again, I swung my hand out to the controls. Stretching as much as I could, I finally felt the button and hammered my finger on it as hard as I could.

Beneath me I felt vibrations and running motors. 'Come on my son!' I hollered with triumph. One more button. Just two more.

The topmost control. I pushed myself up on one leg, the other still inside the ship, there to keep me steady. I pushed myself against the wall of the ship. Stretched out my hand. Pressure on my leg. The second button pressed.

'Doctor, how are you doing?' Scannell demanded from me. 'I can't reach!' I shouted back, out of breath. 'I don't know how much longer I can last!'

'Come on! Don't give up now! You said it was possible and I believe you!'

I thought of Martha, the promising medical student. I thought of Sec, the first Dalek to have ever gained my trust. I thought of Riley, a bright, intelligent young thing. My thoughts spurred me on and I reached out further, to the hidden control panel. The door was prised off by my snatching hand and floated into space. _This lever, come on! _I told myself, thinking of those three wonderful souls. The lever was under my hand, with a tug I loosened it, with another tug it bugged and then, as I screamed, it came loose and I pulled it down with all my might.

I can't remember what happened next. All I knew was that I was back inside the airlock, staring at the sun. Then I felt it, it's angry cry. 'It's alive…' I breathed, staring at it, feeling it's hatred in my head, filling my thoughts, seeping through my veins. 'It's alive. It's alive!'

'Doctor! Close the airlock now!' Scannell called over the intercom. I ignored him. He was one of them. They were killing me. Destroying me. I looked away and saw the pod. Approaching.

I left the airlock and prised the helmet off. It was too heavy. The room was too hot. Why was it too hot? Why did my head hurt? Why did my whole body hurt? The floor, it comforted me. Cooler than the air. No, floor heating up too.

'Doctor!' Martha and Sec called in unison. I crawled away, not looking at them. I'll burn them! No! Friends! Enemies! 'You okay?' Martha turned me and my eyes slitted open. Heat escaped them, bright light. Burn them! No, not their fault! 'STAY AWAY FROM ME!'

I rammed my eyes shut and fell back to the floor. 'What's happened?' McDonald had arrived. 'IT'S YOUR FAULT!, CAPTAIN McDONALD!' I hollered at her, keeping my eyes tightly shut. 'YOUR FAULT!'

'Riley, get to area ten and help Scanner with the doors!'

'YOU MINED THAT SUN! STOLE IT'S SURFACE FOR CHEAP FUEL! YOU SHOULD HAVE SCANNED FOR LIFE!' My body… so hot! Going. To. Die…

'I don't understand…'

'Doctor! What is it?'

'THAT SUN'S ALIVE! THEY SCOOPED OUT IT'S HEART AND NOW IT'S SCREAMING! SCREAMING INSIDE OF ME!'

'How can the sun be alive? Why is he saying that?' McDonald sounded terrified.

'IT'S LIVING IN ME! IT LIVED IN KORWIN AND ASHTON!'

'Oh my God…'

'HUMANS! YOU GRAB WHATEVER'S NEAREST AND BLEED IT DRY! YOU SHOULD HAVE SCANNED!'

'It would have taken too long and energy scoops are illegal, we would have been caught.'

'And now you've been caught by the very creature you stole from.' Sec snarled. A, someone who understands. A non-human. A fellow! No! He isn't like you! I'm not like you! Friends! No! Enemies! Yes!

'FREEZE ME QUICKLY! FREEZE ME OR YOU ALL DIE!'

* * *

**To my reviewers - **

**Dorey -**Awkward Sec shifting? Let's share the love. Lol. Next, it's the Doctor's turn to shift. XD

**Big Fan!!! - **Hope you had a nice time in Italy :) Thanks for the review!

**Shadowtheo - **Hey! Thanks for the review.

**Stella the Sniper - **I have to stop writing once in a while, you know. Lol. Glad you're on the egde of your seat, 'cos that's the only way to ride! Thanks for the review.


	13. The Cure

**Authors Note** - Hello again :D Just another little note before the next chapter so you'll be… moderately… well informed. I'm starting university tommorow, so there probably won't be an update for a week or so, just whilst I get settled in. Yahoo! A poor students life for me! XD Sorry about this, but I need to get settled in before I do anything else. Besides, you never know, it might not be that long. Just depends what's thrown at me when I get there. Sorry again! Please don't hurt me… :'[

**Disclaimer - **I own nothing... I said NOTHING from Doctor Who except the stories between the episodes. The characters, items and other storylines are property of the BBC and their respective writers. Not me. Kay? Kay. I am making no money from this story.

XxX

* * *

CHAPTER 13

Sec

I watched in a stupefied horror as the Doctor writhed on the floor. Martha knelt in front of him, trying in vain to keep him still. 'Doctor? What?' She asked, catching his suit for only a few mere moments before he twisted out from her grip. 'Stasis chamber!' He was panting now, his voice hoarse. 'Take me to below minus two hundred…' His voice died as he nearly collapsed even further onto the floor. 'FREEZE IT OUT OF ME!' This renewed energy told me enough. I helped the Doctor to his feet and carried him quickly to the medical centre, Martha on heels, all the while the Doctor panting and screaming for some kind of drop in temperature.

'_Impact in seven, thirty.' _That infernal computer! Why couldn't it have been a silent countdown?

The medical centre, at last! I stopped and the Doctor, sensing where we were, flung out his arms in any direction he could. 'COLD! I NEED COLD!' He bellowed in my ear, making my head hurt. Martha sped past me to the manual for the stasis chamber. 'MARTHA, WHERE ARE YOU!?' He screamed again. My ears rang with all this noise but I knew perfectly well it was unavoidable. I shifted my shoulders to help make him as comfortable as I could as we waited for Martha to find what we needed. 'MARTHA!'

'It's alright, I'm here.'

McDonald, who had caught up with us, stared in disbelief as Martha signalled for me to help the Doctor into the chamber. As we did she interrupted. 'Wait! What are you doing? You'll kill him!'

That infuriating woman! Why wouldn't she shut up? 'No human can survive those temperatures!'

'He isn't human!' Martha growled as the Doctor screamed.

'What? Well at least let me help you…'

At that moment, Martha and I thought and said exactly the same thing. 'You've done enough damage!' We said in unison. However, we took no notice and instead concentrated on helping the Doctor.

He spoke, raspy voiced and pained. 'Ten seconds, that's all I'll be able to take.' Then he started to panic. 'MARTHA! SEC!'

'What, what is it?' Martha demanded.

'IT'S BURNING ME UP! DO IT NOW OR I COULD KILL YOU ALL! I HATE YOU ALL! NO! NO! I No… I'm scared. I'M SCARED!'

I turned instantly cold. The Doctor, the Oncoming Storm, scared? I was sure all the colour had drained from me as my heart slowed, that chilling confession clouding my thoughts. Martha paused as well, her eyes wide. She shook in terror. 'Just… Just stay calm.' She started, her voice soothing to the Doctor and myself. 'You saved us, now we're returning the favour.'

'Wait! There's this process… this thing…' The Doctor stammered, breathless now. I knew instantly what it was he was referring to; Regeneration. That cold feeling I had ran down my spine. He couldn't… not again. How many times had he regenerated now? What if this were his last…? I stared at the ground, trying hard not to think of anything. 'If I'm about to die…' He continued.

'Shh, because that is not going to happen, I won't let it.' Martha said calmly. I hoped she was right. 'Are you ready?'

'NO!'

She looked at me, begging me for some kind of answer, some piece of advice. I shook my head, telling her we had to. With a quick glance at the manual I knew what I had to do. I took the controls (ignoring, like I had done before, the mounting pain in my hands) and the bed on which the Doctor lay slid into the chamber. Rels after an unholy scream filed the ship. I clenched my teeth and tried to ignore the pain I was putting my friend through. Martha held the edge of my sleeve, staring in horror at the bright light that filled the room as I watched the temperature rapidly drop on the computer. _'Heat shields failing at five percent.' _I stared at the ceiling and hissed at the speakers. Martha made a strange noise, halfway between a sneeze and a choke. I looked at her and saw that she was playing with her necklace.

A warning signal rang in my ears. I turned with horror on my face to the screen which showed the temperature rising and then it went blank. 'NO! NO SEC YOU CAN'T STOP IT YET!' The Doctor called out to me. Finally, I lost my patience. I marched towards the Captain and took her roughly by the shoulders, shaking her. 'What's happened!?'

'The power's been cut! Engineering!'

I roared in anger and turned. Martha had hidden away in a corner upon sensing my wrath. 'But who's done it?' She demanded, turning to McDonald. 'Leave it to me.' McDonald said and ran from the room. I looked at Martha as she slowly emerged from the corner. 'That's it.' She said, defeated. We listened to the Doctor's cries and yells and we both knew the same thing. 'We're doomed.' She said, her face the picture of complete stunned acceptance.

'_Impact in four, fourty seven.' _'GO GO NOW!' The Doctor yelled at us both. 'IF YOU DON'T GO I'LL KILL YOU BOTH. NOW GO!'

'We're not leaving you!' Martha shouted back, annoyed.

'MARTHA JONES, FOR ONCE JUST LISTEN TO ME! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT! PLEASE! FOR ME! GO GIVE BACK WHAT THEY STOLE!'

Martha nodded and turned to leave but I stood still. 'Sec? Come on.' She tugged at my arm.

'SEC GO!'

'Come on, alien boy!'

'GO! GO NOW!'

Finally I moved. 'Thank you, Time Lord.' I said before I followed Martha quickly from the room. _'Impact in four, oh eight.'_

* * *

The Doctor

Too hot! Too hot! Have to start stasis chamber. Can't move! Burn them all! No! NO NO NO!!! Martha and Sec gone. Good, because I'd have burnt them. You should have. NO! You will not do that, I won't let you! Enemies. You said it yourself, Time Lord. Humans will take anything! BURN THEM WITH ME! I WILL NOT BE PART OF YOU! I know what they did was wrong, but they didn't know! The crew had no choice but to follow orders! THAT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE!

The conversation that was being screamed in my head filled me with every emotion possible. As I rolled on the bed, listening to the countdown, I grew weaker.

Succumb to me, Time Lord. BURN WITH ME! NO! BURN WITH ME! I am not like you… stop it! Leave them alone!

Sliding from the stasis chamber I flung myself at the controls and blindly tried to make it work. Nothing. I made the way out of the med centre, eyes shut tight, stumbling in the dark. I couldn't look at anyone; I would burn them at first glance. _'Impact in three, forty three.'_ Good. Then I shall be avenged. NO! STOP IT! STOP IT NOW! I flung my arms out, shuffled my feet, and tried to feel where it was that I stood. No, I couldn't find any distinguishing features. That just made things worse!

'Riley, Scannell, I'm really sorry.' McDonald called over the intercom. What? What is she doing? BURN! NO! STOP IT! _'Exterior airlock opened.' _No… No, she hadn't! She couldn't! I felt some sort of heavy weight inside me rise. But still I burnt. Still I screamed.

'_Impact in two, seventeen.' _No… Not enough time! Pain! Burning pain! BURN THEM ALL! I noticed now, that as I growled and screamed that my voice had changed. When this had happened I didn't know and I didn't care. The pain! Make it stop! Please, someone make it stop. _'Survival estimation; zero percent.' _

'_Martha… Sec… I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry.' _I called to Sec, hoping that I still could.

'_Doctor? What do you…?' _Oh, thank goodness he'd heard me.

'_I'm so sorry. I can't fight it.'_

Burn them all. BURN THEM ALL!

Finally, I saw the world around me again. This accursed monster of metal. The heat of my eyes scorched the ground. And I laughed. 'Burn. With. Me.' I enjoyed hearing my voice spread across this vile ship with its intercom system. 'BURN. WITH. ME!'

* * *

Martha

I looked at Sec and he looked at me. 'No…' I breathed, not believing what I had just heard. 'No.'

'BURN. WITH. ME. MARTHA!' Oh my God, he didn't just say that? He did! Oh God no! Why was this happening!?

Sec took me roughly by the wrist and I followed as we continued through the increasing heat. _'Impact in one, twenty one.' _We ran, and ran and ran. From one end of the ship to another, we ran. My head felt woozy, my chest hurt, bright white light shone before my eyes. But I wouldn't cave in. Now, I was fighting not for our lives, but for the Doctor. He was gone, and he would be remembered through this.

Ahead of us, we heard Scannell and Riley shouting at each other.

'Why isn't it working!!??' Riley demanded.

'I don't know, Riley! Okay!?'

'NO I AM NOT OKAY!'

We arrived and they stared at us with pity. They had heard the Doctor too. 'Vent the engines.' Sec began, panting, those tentacles of his flailing madly about. 'Release the fuel.'

'What?' Scannell asked.

'Sun particles are in the fuel, get rid of them!' Sec hissed. He was angry, very angry.

As the two crew guys looked at each other in disbelief I turned to my Dalek friend. 'Sec, what..?'

'I have just lost my first true friend, Martha. Lost him because of this ship. I will not have this anymore.'

I nodded in understanding. Turning to the crew, I snapped at them 'Do it!' When they didn't my patience died. 'NOW!' My voice filled the whole chamber. They did it then. Sec looked at me with a small smile on his face and I returned it. We heard the fuel as it left the ship for good. _'Fuel dump in progress.' _Thank God!

Then we were threw across the room as the ship's auxiliary engines finally kicked in and the huge hulk of metal turned sharply away from the sun. _'Impact averted at one second.' _We did it. We were alive. Just one second more… and we wouldn't be here right now. I looked at Sec, who didn't look happy either. Riley and Scannell danced away in a corner, laughing and singing. Instead of joining them, Sec and I ran from the room and back towards the med centre.

We didn't expect to see him standing on his own two feet, looking at us with tired eyes and his regular goofy smile. He was shaking and unsteady but he was alive! 'DOCTOR!' I called and threw myself at him, nearly knocking him over. But he, being a good Doctor, caught his footing in time. Sec reached us and laughed as we did, laughing that we were safe, we were alive. We'd gotten through it all. Just as we should have expected all along.

* * *

The Doctor

'This is never your ship.' Scannell said with a disbelieving grin as he surveyed the TARDIS which stood behind Martha, Sec and myself, perfectly unscathed. 'Call it compact, eh?' I asked with a large grin. I was happy to see the old girl was still in one piece. Riley looked impressed with her too. 'Did I mention robust?' I added, giving her a quick tap.

'We can't just leave you floating here with low fuel.' Martha pointed out.

'Ah, we've sent out an emergency signal. Someone will get it.' Riley said with a grin. I had noticed Riley and Sec weren't giving each other much attention. In fact, it seemed to me like Sec didn't want to be near the boy at all. Hmm… wonder what happened.

Scannell snorted. 'How will we explain this to the authorities?'

'Just tell them.' I said, opening the TARDIS door. 'Tell them the truth. That sun needs care and protection, just like us.' I moved inside, smiling at them both and Sec quickly followed me, nodding towards Scannell but not Riley. Yeah, something was going on. As we reached the console, I turned an looked out through the door and watched with amazement as Martha and Riley both swooped towards each other and their lips planted. My mouth must have touched the floor. Really. So… that explained a lot. Well, well, well, I thought as Martha bounced inside and shut the door behind her. This is what's wrong.

* * *

**TO MY REVIEWERS -**

**Stella the Sniper -** Invigorate? Wow… didn't know that could happen. Tee hee! Thanks:D

**Lady Willow Rose -** There, all over. Stop sending me hate mail. Lol. Okay, now I'm in trouble, aren't I? Would it make you feel better if I said thanks?

**Big Fan!!!** - Please say this one was worth the wait. Lol! Thanks again:D

**Mad-Hatter-Lcarol -** Yes, I would like some tea with the insanity. That would be lovely. XD Please don't have a heart attack; I don't want to be responsible for any shock related deaths on this story. Lol. Thanks for the review!

**Dorey -** Probably not the reaction you were expecting from Sec, eh? But you're right. I will affect the plot in a BIG way later. Cheers!

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**Melora Maxwell -** Can I have a Sec flag? Please? And thanks for the review. By the way, your story is awesome too:D


	14. Bedside Manner

**Disclaimer -** I own nothing and I mean NOTHING from Doctor Who (e.g. characters, plots etc.) unless stated otherwise. I am making no money from this project; I am doing it purely for enjoyment and the entertainment of other Who-ites. So, on that note... please see my author's note for more interesting news.

**Author's Note -** A-hem._ Important announcment_ people! I am dedicating this chapter to one Mad-Hatter-LCarol for their wonderful picture based on the story. Creepy really, but we both had a smimilar idea in mind. Oook. XD

* * *

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Doctor

I turned to find Sec leaving the console room. Had he seen? Or had he not? He could just be tired and wanting an early bed time, but what if he'd seen? Poor guy. He doesn't understand what he's supposed to do about those feelings of his. Then it struck me as Martha came up behind me. I knew what I had to do.

I stared into the space where Sec had disappeared, formulating my plan. 'Right, where now then?' Martha clapped me on the shoulder, smiling widely. I continued to stare into space for a few moments before I turned to her. 'I have something for you.' I said, pulling out the door key I'd cut for her earlier that week. Dropping it into her open hands, I gave a smile. 'Part of the frequent flyers privilege.'

'Thank you!' Martha threw her arms around me.

'You're welcome. Sec's already got his. I just wanted to surprise you.'

We let go of each other and with both pairs of eyes sparkling I started the TARDIS and we left the ship and crew behind us. 'Well,' Martha started in a more serious tone. 'That was something I don't ever want to do again.'

'What? The hugging?' I said with a grin, piloting us through a particularly rough patch of space.

'You…' Martha hit me playfully . 'Where's Sec?'

'Gone to bed.' I said. 'Really tired. Poor bloke.'

'But his hands…'

'We can sort his hands out later. For now, let him rest.'

Martha gave me a small smile, hugged me again and left. It was just me and the console room again. Time to put my plan into action. I piloted the TARDIS to Barcelona. Not the city, the planet. That was where I'd wanted to take Rose, but we never got there. We were side-tracked. Again. Bugger it all. Well, at least this might help those two. I knew Martha liked me, but I didn't return those feelings. I didn't want to. Each time I did, I lost that person and so…

'GAH!' I crashed the TARDIS onto the face of Barcelona, too distracted by my thoughts to notice how close we were to the surface. Struggling to stay in control as the ship skidded along, I kept talking to the TARDIS over and over again. 'Come on, girl. Come on…' My legs buckled as the TARDIS bumped along. Slowly, it came to a stop and everything fell still. Absolute silence.

'DOCTOR!!!' I cringed as I heard her scream. I was in for it now. 'DOCTOR!' Martha bounded into the room, but she wasn't angry, she was anxious. 'Is everything OK?' She asked, looking at me lying on the floor, cradling my head after I'd knocked myself senseless on the control panel. Sec soon entered, looking as anxious as Martha. 'Doctor!' They both bounded over to me. 'I'm OK, honest.' I sat up, still rubbing the sore spot on my noggin. 'Right, we're here anyway.'

'Where is here?' Martha asked, examining my head closely.

'Barcelona.'

'You brought us to Spain?'

'No! The planet Barcelona.'

'Oh.'

Sec gave me a scathing look. 'How did you crash the TARDIS?' I looked at him as Martha moved my hair out of the way. 'I was thinking. So much so that I didn't notice how close we were.' He rolled his eye and stood, watching Martha with a distant gaze. I noticed how burnt his hands were now. Red raw. Ouch. 'Sec, we need to get your hands bandaged.' I noted how quickly he hid his hands from view after I'd said this. Martha had noticed too, but she continued to look for any problems with my head. 'Martha, my head's fine. You never know, might do some good.' She only hit me for that. Sec looked on before he left the room quickly, going elsewhere in the TARDIS. Great, now we had a depressed Dalek to worry about as well.

Martha finished with my head and looked after Sec. 'What's wrong with him?'

'I don't know.'

'Do you think he's still upset about everything that happened on the ship? I mean, he took it all really personally.'

'Martha,' I sighed. 'Let me tell you something.'

She sat opposite me on the floor, waiting for me to speak. 'That system we were just in… it's close to the galaxy where his home planet used to be.'

'Oh.' She said, her face falling.

'Yeah. That's one reason. Another reason is that he feels strongly about what's right and wrong now. After all that he used to be and do, he has a strong sense of morality now and what McDonald was doing upset him because it was wrong. The deaths were wrong. And all he sees there is what he used to do.'

'There's more, isn't there?' Martha knew I hadn't told her the whole truth. 'His hands…'

'Yeah, I know. He doesn't like to show weakness still. That's probably a Dalek trait that will linger forever. For a Dalek to show weakness is inexcusable. And… he likes you, Martha. He adores you.'

'I know.'

'What?'

This had taken me by surprise. She knew? 'How long?' I asked her, my mouth almost dropping open. 'Months.' She croaked. 'But I don't feel the same way, that's why I pretend not to notice it.'

Well, that was my plan for a Barcelona love trip ruined. Bugger it all. Well, it would make for a nice holiday.

We both stared at the floor in silence for minutes. Martha was thinking, I knew. I was just completely blank. It was only when I shifted that that silence was broken. 'Better get to bed then, shouldn't we?'

'Yeah…'

* * *

Sec

I sat on the edge of my bed that the Doctor had so graciously given me, head clouded with thoughts. I looked at my hands that still burnt my nerves. They were a horrible shade of bloody red mingled with ashen tones. I bit my lip and focused on something other than the physical pain and I came straight to the emotional. I hadn't needed to hear her confession to the Doctor, I'd already seen it in her reaction towards _that_ boy in that escape pod. I felt something in the corner of my eye and I wiped away what I knew was the beginning of a tear. I hated emotions. Yes, they had benefits, but these were not many. Emotions made pain worse, made loss noticeable, made… they made people love. And I hated them.

I looked around my room, at the organic growths reaching from floor to ceiling and sighed. Why had I done what I had done? I could still be with my cult right now, a superior being. My new philosophy was all wrong.

Feeling like this wasn't going to help me. Quickly, I told myself that it mattered not whether someone loved me and lifted the sheet of my bed with tentative fingers. It hurt so much! I lay on my back, the only way I could be comfortable, and pulled the sheet back over me, cringing as my hands burnt. I lay in bed, my hands trembling on top of the sheets. Why did I even like Martha? She is a human! A primitive being. She has a short life span. She, like all other humans, is not even that intelligent. Why like _her_? I closed my eye, trying to fill my mind with my old ideals, but now these made no sense to me either. My old and new life had both, ultimately, destroyed me.

* * *

Martha

I had to make sure he was alright. I quietly tiptoed through the corridors to Sec's room and stopped outside with my bag of medical goodies, my hand hovering above the handle. Should I? Sod it. I'm going in! I opened the door quietly and found him lying perfectly still in bed. It was only the gentle rising and falling of the bed sheet that told me he was still alive. Otherwise, I would have thought he were dead. I shuffled towards his bed in my slippers. His hands were upturned on top of his sheets and I saw how sore they were; big blisters covered his skin under the patchy red and black.

'Sec.' I said quietly, shaking his shoulder gently. 'Sec, wake up, will you?' Slowly, he opened his eye and he jumped back into a sitting position. 'Martha? What..?'

'Your hands, Sec. They need something doing with them. Seriously.'

I sat down next to him and opened my bag. I pulled out a large first aid kit and took out cloths, antiseptic, bandages, cold water… everything I'd need really. He still looked on me in horror, as though I'd seen him naked in the shower or something. All there was to see was part of his chest through the partially unbuttoned shirt he'd worn all day. Silly Sec, I thought. Then it occurred to me that he'd never been seen remotely unclothed in his human form. Aw, what modesty. Not enough of that these days.

Laying the things out on the bed, I took one of his hands that had been closely held to his chest and told him to hold it out straight. 'This will hurt, I'll tell you now.' I started my ministrations on his hands, Sec giving little pained howls as I did. We said nothing to each other as I worked. As soon as I was finished, I lay his bandaged hands back down on his bed. 'OK?' I asked him. He avoided eye contact with me but nodded his head all the same. 'You overheard me, didn't you?'

He gave a delayed nod.

'Sec, listen to me.' I said quickly, holding his arm. 'I'm sorry, I really am. But I don't like you that way. I like you as a friend. You're a brilliant friend and I wouldn't want you any other way. Besides…' I rubbed his arm and looked at him, expecting to find him still looking the other way, but met his brilliant blue eye instead. 'Sometimes, if friends go out with each other and they fall out over something, then they can end up not being friends anymore. And I don't want to loose you. Understand?'

'Yes.'

'Great. Now… Barcelona. Know anything about it?'

Sec gave me a smile. 'Well…'

* * *

**Shock! Horror! Another Author's Note! ((Gasps)) - **Well, well, well, the cat's out of the bag. Don't worry folks. Tis not the end for all you shippers and angst lovers out there! Daleky love will prevail!... maybe. Woot!

* * *

**To My Reviewers -**

**Stella the Sniper** - But of course they live dear! Lol. Bless your little cotton socks. Glad your really into the story though. Thanks **:D**

**Lady Willow Rose - **Aw, but Willow, you wouldn't beat me up, would you? ((Cries)) I thought you wuved me! ((Cries more)) And I'm not a baby! Lol **XD** ... Please don't hurt me. You know how fragile I am. Would it make you feel better if I said I heart your new siggy to pieces? ((Cowers in fear anyway))

**Shadowtheo - **Hey, thanks again for the review. You guys make me happy!** :3**

**Dorey - **Pick your jaw up dear. Lol. **XD **I thank thee for the reviewings of plentyness.

**Big fan!!! - **Hey thanks! University's great. Freshers week has to be one of the most hectic things I've seen but I'm loving it. As for little Timmy boy... you'll have to sit and wait. MWAHAHAHAHA. Sorry. Thank you!

**Boo - "**Bad Martha, bad!" Aw, God, you have no idea how hard I laughed at that. Thank ye for the review. Yay for Sec's fangirls!

**Mad-Hatter-LCarol - **There you go, a chapter dedication for a rocking picture! I feel so happy that you drew that. You have no idea how long I went "AWWWWWWWWWW!" for! XD I got some funny looks from my hall mates I'll tell you that. I favourited it and everything it's that great! Cheers for that! Green eyed monster? Lol. Oh, so much more of that to come.

**Melora Maxwell - **Yay! A Sec flag! ((Huggles)) Thanks for the review you! Just noticed your a post grad, by the way. Wow... I've only just started. **Lol.**

**Danica Enjolras **- Thanks. I'm loving uni! So much fun-ness-ness... though I am already poor, come to think of it. Oops. Ah well, thank you for the review. Aw, Ninth Doc! ((Huggles)) Not enough love for that guy in the world... that's given me an idea. Hey, you inspired something! Thank ye!


	15. They are Coming

**Disclaimer** - Ah, and so it begins. Something I can finally have credit of. Well, I own this "episode" but not the actual, proper characters from Doctor Who, items, locations or scenarios that this "episode" links up to. I am making no money from this story (boo), only doing it for my own enjoyment and for that of fellow Who-ites. ENJOY!

* * *

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Doctor

I woke up feeling worse for wear. I'd been too tired last night to have a wash and now I deeply regretted that decision. Eegads, my bedclothes were sticking to me! 'Great, just great.' I snarled, trying to get out of bed without making myself anymore uncomfortable than I was. There was a knock on my door and I called for them to enter. Sec pushed the door open and the first thing I noticed was that his hands were bandaged. 'Ah, Martha got hold of you, did she?'

He gave me a smile and entered the room, closing the door behind him. 'What time is it?' I yawned.

'Nearly eleven o'clock.'

'What?'

'You heard me, Doctor.'

I started to run my hand through my hair but stopped when I felt how disgusting it felt. 'Curse that flaming ship.' I whispered and Sec gave a muffled snort of laughter. Well, he'd cheered up. That was good. 'You're much happier today.' I said, looking at him. Sec paused before he answered me. 'Martha and I talked about some things last night. I'm fine now.'

'Great.' I smiled, trying not to let my arms touch my sides.

-------- Doctor • Who -------

I arrived in the kitchen as fresh as a daisy. I love my bath, so much! Martha was drinking away at a cup that smelt of tomato and I knew then that she'd had one of my cup-a-soups. Sec was trying to clear his plate, though the bandages were making this task very difficult for him. Martha smirked at me from over the rim of the cup. 'Ah, would you like breakfast or lunch?'

'Shut up, you.'

'Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed.'

Sec looked over his shoulder, eye glazed with confusion, before turning back to his plate, shaking his head.

Shuffling over to the closest cupboard I found a box of cereal from New Earth (it had marshmallows, a personal favourite, in it) and poured it into a bowl along with the remains of the milk. 'What, no cuppa?' I asked myself, miffed that I couldn't have my favourite drink with my food. 'Obviously not.' Martha said, looking at the bottom of her cup. 'Wait, I have some cream somewhere. I love tea with cream.' I said, kneeling to look in the lower fridge. I had the feeling Martha was rolling her eyes at me. 'Oh yes!' I gave a delighted squeak and I pulled the cream from the fridge and poured myself some tea, taking mouthfuls of cereal as I did. In the end, I made a second bowl of cereal.

I sat at the table with Martha who was now drinking a strong cup of black coffee. 'Need an energy kick after yesterday?' I asked, pointing at her mug with a cereal covered spoon. 'Just a little one.' She said, stirring the contents of the mug slowly. Sec joined us at the foot of the table and looked at both of us, obviously waiting for something to happen. I yawned. That's all the action he was getting out of me today.

'So, what are we going to see first?' Martha bobbed excitedly, staring at me with a large toothy grin. I yawned again and sipped at my tea. 'Well…' I paused. 'I was thinking we go try some local delicacies.'

'You and you're bloody stomach.'

'I have an oral fixation, I can't help it!'

'That could be misconstrued.' She giggled. Sec looked completely blank. Good, let him stay that way, poor innocent sod. 'Ha ha, very funny.' I said trying to keep a straight face. Needless to say I couldn't manage it; I choked on a very tasty marshmallow.

-------- Doctor • Who -------

'Right then, Martha Jones. Are you ready to see Barcelona?'

'Are you kidding? If it's as nice as Earth's Barcelona looks, I'm there.'

'You're in for a treat then.' I said with a smirk. Martha raised her eyebrows and smiled. 'Well, open the door then, Doctor.'

'Ah, ah. Wait just a minute you.' I nodded my head towards Sec who was trying in vain to put his watch on. 'Oh Sec, come here.' Martha made her way to him and took the watch. 'I still don't know why you're bothering to wear this.'

'I need to. The Barcellians are… none too fond of the Dalek race.'

'Yeah, but they wouldn't be able to tell you are one, would they?'

'Don't count on it.' I cut in.

Martha gave me a confused look before turning back to Sec and putting the watch on his wrist. In the usual quick transformation he was Diagoras again. 'There.' Martha said, checking the bandages on his hands. 'All ready.' She turned to me. 'Can we go now? I really want to see…'

I opened the door for her. There was an excited squeal and then a flash of brown whizzing past me. 'Somebody's happy.' I looked at Sec with a smile. He smiled too, but after Martha. Well, you can't stop him loving you, Martha. No matter how hard you try. 'Come on.' I jerked my head towards the door and Sec left into the outside world followed by me.

It was just how I remembered it; purple skies, sweeping mountain ranges of silver, apple grass, lakes of deep blue. A vision of beauty. Martha was stood next to the cliff on which we stood. The cliff we would have fallen off if the TARDIS hadn't stopped in time. 'This is Barcelona?'

'Yep.' I answered. She turned to look at me as I stooped over to pick a blade of grass and popped it into my mouth. 'Ugh, Doctor!'

'What? It's apple grass. Perfectly harmless, very tasty.'

Sec, who had been here before, looked out over the world that had nearly been destroyed by the Daleks in a war that had nearly been lost to history. But the Time Lords had known all about it. He had gone completely still. Below us, in a tiny village built of stone and wood huts, was a chorus of monks singing out their songs to remember the dead. Great, I'd brought us here on the Barcellian Ceremony of Memorial. 'Right, we've seen Barcelona, let's go.'

'No.' Sec answered quickly. 'I need to stay, Doctor.'

I made my way next to his side and looked at him thoughtfully. His face was set ahead of him, towards the mountains of pure silver. 'Sec.' I said in understanding.

Martha realised what was happening. 'What? No! Sec you can't leave!' She pushed past me and stood in front of him, holding his arms as though to stop him throwing himself from the cliff. Finally he moved his head, looking down at Martha with soft eyes. 'I have to. I personally did a lot of damage to this planet and its people. I ordered their destruction, not the Emperor.' He flinched as he mentioned that accursed Dalek's title. 'Coming here and hearing their cries of mourning… I have to stay and help them. I need to.'

'They will tear you apart.' Martha said, holding onto him tighter.

'They need not know what I am.'

'Sec, no! Doctor, talk some sense into him!'

I remained quiet.

* * *

Martha

Oh God, was this because of me? He really wanted to leave because of me? Oh, what had I done? 'Sec, please just listen to me. I'm begging you.'

'No, Martha. I can't.' He couldn't look at me as he left and strolled away down the slope that would take him to the village. And all I could do was stand and watch him go. 'Sec.' I breathed his name, hoping he would hear me. Whether he did or not remains a mystery.

The Doctor put his hand on my shoulder. 'He'll be alright. It's just us that won't be for a while.'

'I know.'

-------- Doctor • Who -------

The Doctor led me along a narrow stream. The trees here were funny looking, almost a cross between a pine and a birch tree type of thing. He was muttering away about the planet's interesting selection of plants but I wasn't listening. I watched my feet touch the ground with every step I took. How very interesting. But anything to do with my feet was a good distraction right now. 'The doddy plant is quite an interesting specimen…' The what now? Oh, who cares, Doctor? '… A little poisonous.' Yeah, I know I am. I don't need a second opinion, thanks. '… Through attractive shades of lilac.' Again, who cares?

'Doctor,' I held my hands up in the air and stopped on the spot. He looked at me, confused. 'Can we please not talk about plants? As interesting as they are.'

'Sure.'

'Thanks.'

I turned and sat on the grass, looking out over to the forest opposite. 'Sec's over there.'

'Yeah.'

'Doctor? Is it my fault?' I croaked, trying not to cry. He sat next to me and held my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. God, he was wonderful. A perfect gentleman. 'No.' He said plainly, staring me firmly in the eye. He was telling the truth. 'Then why…?'

'He did do a lot of damage to this planet, Martha. I won't lie. The Emperor Dalek gave him ultimate power over this planet and… well, Sec did some pretty nasty things to the inhabitants.'

I listened to him carefully, making sure I didn't miss anything. He turned to look at the trickling stream before us. 'Now he wants to make it up to them. But…' He looked at me with a smile. 'I think you gave him a new lease of life.'

'Why?'

'You explained everything to him, Martha. You cleared his head for him so all the confusion just left. Went bye bye. Now he can focus on other things, not just you.' He tapped my hand and smiled. 'So give yourself a tap on the back, girl!'

I faked a smile but underneath I was terrified; those aliens would rip Sec to bits if they ever found out who he really was. I knew that much.

We sat there for an hour until night fell. Then we returned to the TARDIS, where it was warm and cosy. Again, images of Sec being… No, no, no! Stop thinking like that! I felt guilty that we were here, warm and comfortable and the Doctor agreed with me. 'Doctor, I can't stop here while he's out there.'

'Martha, it's his choice.'

'Just give me some time. Please.' I held onto his arms, pleading with him.

'I can't. I'm sorry. He wants to.'

With that, the Doctor started the engines and we left Barcelona behind us. Oh, God…

* * *

_Months later…_

Sec

I was helping the town leader with a vaccination to the doddy plant poison when I heard it. That noise. The town leader, Tremos, gazed at me. 'What is that?' He asked me, his eyes thinning. 'My friends.' I answered quickly, running from the building and out into the street. The TARDIS was there waiting for me, drawing large crowds. As soon as I stopped the door was flung open by Martha, her cheeks stained with tears. 'SEC!' She ran to me, crying hysterically. I held out my arms for her and she ran into them, clinging onto me. 'Sec, oh God…' She broke off, too tired to speak anymore. She collapsed instantly. 'MARTHA!' She lay in my arms like some sort of doll. It was then I noticed she was injured; shots from a particle laser had cut through her coat and into her And she was bleeding heavily. 'MARTHA!' I clung onto her, tears falling down my own cheeks.

There was a groan of pain from inside the TARDIS and the Doctor emerged, with the same wounds as Martha. 'Sec,' He breathed, clinging onto the TARDIS for stability. 'Get everyone to safety. They're coming… and they want blood.' With that, he too collapsed onto the ground. 'DOCTOR!'

* * *

**To my reviewers -** _Thanks all for the reviews!_

**PoweroftheWol -** I know. I want scripts from the new series too. Blast it all!

**Mad-Hatter-LCarol -** Nothing wrong with a big stupid smile. Lol. **XD** See? Glad your happy about the dedication.

**Stella the Sniper -** Emotionally confused... are you refering to me, Sec or Martha? Lol.

**Melora Maxwell -** Yay for uni! ((Waves Sec flag)) Oops. Wrong one. ((Waves uni flag instead)) Tee hee.

**ZenPotter -** Honesty is the best policy, I agree... but not when making threats. ((Hides)) You scare me, you do! ((Sniffs)) Lol.

**Big Fan!!! -** Yay for character bonding!... wait, that sounded just plain wrong. **:0**


	16. Deathbed

Disclaimer - I own nothing from Doctor Who (characters, basic plotlines, etc) that hail from the actual TV show itself. The only things I can say are mine are the small episodes between the main BBC episodes, and some of the characters from these small linking stories. I am making no money from this venture. Woot...

* * *

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Sec

I sat in the infirmary, between the two beds on which Martha and the Doctor lay, heavily drugged and unconscious. I looked between them both, wondering who had done this to them. I made a vow to myself that I would exterminate the one's who had done this to my friend and… who could only be described as my love. I gazed at Martha, her head tilted towards me, and felt a sudden urge of unbridled anger. Who ever did this to them would sorely regret it.

I looked at my watch to distract myself. For months this had been on my person all day, every day. It was wearing me out now. And this new situation did nothing to help me. The blasted thing was making me so tired, so ill… I felt tears in my eyes and against my better judgement I looked at Martha in her unconscious state; then I broke into hysterical tears.

Laying my head next to her on the bed, I took her hand in my own trembling palm. 'I'm sorry, Martha.'

-------- Doctor • Who -------

Something was moving me. I grumbled and turned in bed, muttering to whoever it was that was bothering me to leave me alone. 'Sec, come on sleepy head, you need to drink something.'

'Martha. I can't breathe…'

'I know.' She rubbed my arm gently. 'But there's only five months left.'

She turned me onto my back and through the small open slit of my eyes I saw her face shining dimly in the firelight. It was littered with fear and concern. I was cold and I shook. She held her hand against my forehead and I shivered. 'My God, you're worse than yesterday…'

For the past few weeks the watch had finally taken its toll; I had been in bed for most of it, accompanied by Martha who had been looking after me. I hated her seeing me like this – especially since she was now the only one to look after The Doc... John Smith.

I had broken into a cold sweat, my breathing laboured. Martha had wanted to take the watch off of my person on multiple occasions, but we knew we couldn't; the early 1900's would not be kind to me if we did.

We were inside the groundskeeper's cottage, my temporary home, and in the distance was the boy's academy. Since I had taken ill, Martha had spent every night with me, slept next to me and had been there for me whenever a terrible fever dream had taken control of me. Now, she was helping me to swallow some cold water. I didn't want it, though I knew I needed it. 'There we go.' She smiled as she lay me back down onto the pillows. She left the bedroom in a hurry as the clock on the mantle place of the open fire told me it was quarter to nine in the evening. I tossed and turned in bed as the temperature rose and fell quickly into the extremes. I couldn't breathe! 'Martha!' I chocked. I was going to die! I kept my eyes tightly shut, trying to block out the light from the fireplace.

A gentle pair of hands held my face still and wiped away the tears of pain that had begun to fall from my tightly closed eyes. 'Shh,' Martha whispered. 'I'm here. Not going anywhere.' I managed to open my eyes slightly and saw her beautiful, angelic face looking down on me. With a smile she lay in bed next to me, pulling me towards her so that my head rested on her shoulder. 'What dream did you have earlier?' She asked me, resting her face against the top of my head. I told her that it was when she and the Doctor had been in the infirmary and I had been powerless to help them. She made no reply. I didn't care; I was in too much pain to care. But the knowledge that Martha had me in her arms, even if it were only whilst I was ill, was comforting to me.

I closed my eyes and tried to imagine we were somewhere else, far from here, where John Smith was the Doctor and the TARDIS was our home.

* * *

Martha

He'd been asleep for an hour now. Longer than normal. Good, he needed it. Dark stubble was etched along his chin and he was so pale and so thin it was dangerous. And since this was pre World War One, the medical equipment and drugs left a lot to be desired. But this was no normal illness; the watch was killing him slowly, tearing down every single nerve, muscle and organ in a painfully slow manner. The Doctor had told me this when we had finally recovered and Sec had returned with us into the TARDIS. Told me that, had it been left on longer, he would have died. He'd only just figured it out.

And now, it was happening. The damned watch was pulling him apart inside. He knew, of course, but we couldn't take it off. We knew we couldn't. I could only watch as he became worse and worse with each passing day. And I hated that I couldn't help him properly.

'Martha…' He'd woken up. I looked at him and he gazed up at me through barely open eyes. 'Be careful. Promise me.' What was he…? Oh. Another fevered dream playing with his mind. 'I will.' I answered him. 'I promise.'

'Martha, it's coming. The end… it's coming.'

'End? What end?'

'The end… the drums are telling me… I can see it…'

He fainted, his face etched with terror. 'Oh, Sec.' I started to cry, ignoring his fevered rants and instead holding him closer to me. Then, I kissed his head. 'I might not admit it, even though I should…' I tried to smile through the mounting tears. 'But I really do love you. You're brilliant.'

He hadn't heard me. Thank God!

* * *

**To my reviewers -** Thanks for the reviews guys!

**Shadowtheo** - Hero Sec... I like that. Cool! **:D**

**buchanchem - **Flag? ((Holds out flag)) How can Martha not love him? Well, does this chapter make you happier?

**Stella the Sniper** - Oooo, calm down dear. It's only a fanfiction. Lol.

**PoweroftheWol** - Cave troll? Noooooooooo, just a nasty spaceship which will come along soon enough. Oh no...

**big fan!!!** - Character bonding... ((Laughs hysterically)). Oh dear. Sorry. AS for the FoB, you'll find out soon enough.

**Mad-Hatter-LCarol** - Maybe I shouldn't have written that then... Oopsie. Well, he's back now so stop panicking. Lol.

**Dorey - **You were right, lovey. Far more than friendly concern. Mwahahahahaha.

**Lady Willow Rose - **Damn, you know me far too well, woman! FAR TOO WELL!!

**Da More Fishy & Lady Sci-fi - **Hiya! Thank ye for the reviews. Much appreciated.

**Danica Enjolras - **Money sucker? Gee, that's given me hope for the future... kidding! Lol. You're another one who nearly had a heart attack. Wow. Not doing that again then... but of course, I lie.


	17. You Were My Companions

Disclaimer - I own nothing from Doctor Who (characters, basic plotlines, etc) that hail from the actual TV show itself. The only things I can say are mine are the small episodes between the main BBC episodes, and some of the characters from these small linking stories. I am making no money from this venture.

Although now I wish I was... ((sighs))

* * *

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Martha

'Move!' The Doctor called to the villagers as all Hell broke loose. 'Be sensible and leave as quickly as you can!'

Explosions rang out around us as shots were fired from some invisible force above. The night sky was filled with exploding earth and flying dirt, people's screams rang in our ears as they fled in terror. Sec led me by the hand out of our hiding place that the Doctor had told us to wait; Seeing Sec as he really was had to be the least of the Barcellians problems right now.

We saw the Doctor running between panicked groups of Barcellians, telling them they had to leave the area before moving on to the next petrified group.

There was another almighty explosion that Sec and me had to duck from. 'Sec! You alright?'

'Yes, I'm fine. You?'

'Never better.' My voice seethed with sarcasm.

'Wait…' Sec held up his hand for silence.

The explosions had stopped.

We looked to the Doctor, who returned our gaze with great uncertainty. We watched as he moved around the area slowly. Our faces scanned the dead that had been unlucky enough to be hit. The town leader was among them. 'This is mad.' I whispered, taking small steps forward with Sec, gazing at the horrified and bloodless faces of mutilated bodies. I felt sick as the only sound made was our feet crunching over stone, singed wood and bones.

The Doctor made his way over to us. 'We should get out of here, fast!'

'Who would do this?' I asked, biting my lip.

'Martha, you'll be safer if I didn't tell you.'

'But why?'

'Because these people killed, this village demolished and lives destroyed here was done by the same creatures who shot us.'

My blood ran cold.

'Sec? What is it?' The Doctor was looking worriedly at him. His head was turned away from us, gazing deep into the midnight blackness of the forest. 'Sec?' I asked him uncertainly, staring where he was. I heard it; dim at first but it got louder and louder. The three of us backed away as four hulking silhouettes appeared into the firelight. 'Judoon!?' I shouted, shocked and confused as I recognised the outline. 'No, not Judoon.' The Doctor answered. 'Possessors of bodies. Those Judoon didn't stand a chance with them.' He looked at me with grim seriousness. I stared at him before turning my attention back to the possessed Judoon. 'Oh my God…'

A shot. We all screamed and then ran. Ran as fire was shot at us. 'The TARDIS! Quick!' The Doctor yelled, jumping over a body. Sec stopped and whirled to face the shadow figures on his heel. 'SEC! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?' The Doctor stopped too and ran back to me. 'SEC!' He yelled after him. He only ignored us. As the "Judoon" prepared to fire at him, Sec lifted his left hand to the air in front of him and our chasers were blown several feet back, tumbling onto the ground. 'Sec…' I said with an astonished smile as he turned and ran back to us. He returned the smile.

We followed the Doctor out of the village and into the trees. 'It's in a clearing! So keep low and stay calm.' The three of us ran as low as we could, Sec taking the lead and calling out to us as soon as a root or low branch was in the way. We heard them coming fast behind us. 'Keep going!' The Doctor shouted to us in a low growl.

I saw the moon shining ahead. 'The clearing!' A grin crossed my face. We escaped from the tangle of trees and fell into the cold, harsh light. The TARDIS was ahead of us. The Doctor charged forwards, taking out his key.

Shots barely missed us as we got closer. 'Almost!' The Doctor called from ahead. 'Keep going!'

I ran and ran, too scared to notice where I was. I tripped over my own foot and landed with a thud on the grass. Even the sweet smell of apple was gone now.

The footsteps… I turned and saw their faces. Horns, rhino features, cruel expression… it was all there! The lead took aim on me and I left my spot quickly, running, looking over my shoulder to see where it was aiming and I ran into Sec's chest; he'd noticed I wasn't right behind him and had come back for me. Again, he lifted his hand out before us and the rhino things were lifted into the air and tossed to one side. He took my hand and dragged me into the TARDIS, ducking gunfire as we fell onto the floor. The Doctor slammed the door shut.

I pushed myself up slowly and was greeted by an anxious Doctor. 'Did they see you?' He demanded, holding my arms. I clung onto his sleeves.

'I don't know!'

'BUT DID THEY SEE YOU?'

'I WAS TOO BUSY RUNNING!'

He glared at me now… an angry glare. 'Martha, this is important. Did they see your face?'

'No, they couldn't have.'

He ran to the controls. 'Then off we go!'

The TARDIS lurched and left the face of Barcelona. I smiled and hugged Sec in relief. But the Doctor wasn't happy. And we soon knew why. The alarm rang above us and he pulled the monitor towards him and growled 'Aargh! They're following us!'

'How can they? You've got a time machine.' I asked, not sounding fussed. I thought he was telling a really bad joke.

'Stolen technology. They've got a Time Agent's Vortex Manipulator.' He paused, realisation hitting him like a slap across the face. 'They'll follow us wherever we go. Right across the universe. They'll never stop.'

He stared ahead of him, running his hand through his hair. 'Unless… I'll have to.' He turned to me with the deepest sincerity on his face. 'Martha, you trust me don't you?'

'Of course I do…'

'Good, because it will all depend on you.'

He ducked below the control panel to look for something. 'What does that mean? What am I supposed to do?' I turned to Sec, who seemed to have grasped what the Doctor meant. I didn't.

The Doctor reappeared with a tiny, ancient fob watch in his hand. He showed it to me. 'Take this watch, because my life depends on it.' I looked at him. What was he talking about? 'This watch, Martha. This watch is me!'

----------

I woke up and sat bolt upright, realisation on my face. Sec groaned as the sunlight hit his eyes and I felt the mattress shake with his shivering. 'That's what he meant…' I finally realised why he had said it was all down to me; he knew this would happen. He knew that eventually Sec would fall ill and then it would just be me on my own. Sec had known it too! 'Now I know.'

* * *

John

I woke with a start as I heard the boys outside, the other teachers ushering them away from the corridor. Another odd dream… how many was it now? I sat up in bed and nursed my head. What strange thoughts ran in my head?

There was a knock on the door. 'Come in!' I chirped and Miss Martha entered the room with my breakfast on a tray. She saw my night clothed state and looked on in shock. 'I'm sorry, Mr. Smith, you're not dressed. I'll come back later.' She turned to leave. 'No, no.' I stopped her, pulling my bed robe over my shoulders. 'It's alright.'

She re-entered the room and laid my tray on the desk. I watched her as she began to pour the tea. 'I was… sorry.' I started. 'Sometimes, I have these extraordinary dreams…' She ushered past me to open the curtains. She remained quiet like all good maids should do until she realised she was aloud to speak. 'What about, sir?'

'About this… adventurer. This daredevil; a madman!' The Doctor, I call him.' The sound of more curtains being pulled rustled behind me. 'And last night, I dreamt that you and groundskeeper Diagoras were there… though Diagoras didn't look human. You were my… companions. '

'Tea?' She responded with as smile, trying to avoid this most unusual issue. She finally replied. 'But we are but a housemaid and a groundskeeper, sir. That's impossible.'

'And I'm a man from another world.' I smiled, nodding for my tea. She handed me the cup and saucer. 'Well it can't be true because there is no such thing.'

I made my way to the fireplace and picked up my father's old fob watch. 'And this thing… Yes, it's funny how dreams slip away.' I turned back to look at Miss Martha whom I was surprised to see with a little disappointment on her face. 'I do remember one thing though. It all took place in the future; in the year 2007!'

'I can prove that wrong for you, sir.' She replied with a forced smile. She handed me today's newspaper. 'It's Monday, Novemeber 10th, nineteen thirteen. And you're completely human.' I read the paper to make sure she was right, to remind myself these fantasies were mere dreams and not realities. I smiled at her. 'That's me; completely human.'

-------- Doctor • Who -------

I walked past the boys marching in the courtyard, listening to the youngest ones singing in the hall. As I passed them by, some greeted me with cheery smiles. One thing I liked to see; eager young boys, ready to make heir way in the world. Some, I had heard, had even begun courting to find wives to keep their houses whilst they were out on business. I was proud of them.

I entered the school and passed the headmaster, whom I greeted. He gave me a quick nod of the head and ushered past me. The bell rang to announce today's lessons were beginning. I smiled a quick smile and entered my classroom to make ready for the boys to arrive.

* * *

**To my** **reviewers** - Thanks much for all the positive praise!

**Lady Willow Rose -** Yay for Sec! And I'm made of honey! Woot!** Lol. **Aww, Willow... you're too kind to people who aren't Eric. **XD**

**Melora Maxwell - **Ah, you noticed, eh? That's going to be important... you'll find out why eventually. And yes, I was going to put the poppy bit in... but I was going to have Sec try and figure it out for himself. **Lol.** Well, we'll see, eh?

**Lady Sci-Fi **- You're welcome **XD** I try my best.

**Bunchanchem **- Glad you like the flag. But you'll have to thank Melora for that one. The flags are MM's doing. That's why they're so great!

**Stella the Sniper **- You really think this is the stuff of novels? Wow, I'm flattered, thank you... ((blushes))

**Mad-Hatter-LCarol **- I don't love torturing him I just have too! You'll find out why eventually. And don't get me started on Jack... please!

**Big fan!!! - **Aww, bless you. Don't worry; though Sec is out of action right now, he is important to the storyline ((winks))


	18. The Matron and the Maid

Disclaimer - As we've all heard before, unfortunately I do not own Doctor Who (except for my little mini episodes, which are not so great). Nor do I work for the BBC... yet ((shifty eyes)). Anyway, I am making no profit from this tory. I do it becuse I like to write it. Plus, it keeps other people happy and happy people are not angry mob type people :D.

Enjoy!

Author's Note - Sorry about the delay. I had more work to do than originally thought. I now also have two essays and two large assignments to do so it may be a few weeks until the next update. Really sorry. If I could avoid such delays, I would, but I'm only human, so please forgive me. Hope this chappy helps for a bit.

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Sec

Hiding my coat and my hat in the cupboard I stumbled up the stairs whilst the world spun, desperate to get back into bed before Martha found out what I had done. When I reached the landing I threw myself against the door to open it and fell into the bedroom with a deafening thud. Moaning, I tried to reach for the bed but couldn't move.

The door downstairs slammed.

'Goddamn, nasty, twisted little parasite!' Martha sounded angry. I struggled to move, knowing full well it was a futile effort as I heard her ascend the stairs. Any rel now…

'Sec? What are you doing!?' I felt her hands on my back and I was lifted from the floor and into bed. 'Martha… I can explain.' I gulped in the heat.

'Damn right you will, mister!'

'I was… having a walk.'

'Yeah, okay, that explains why you're wearing your work clothes.' She motioned towards the shirt and trousers that were covered in grass stains and earth. 'Sec…' She said, calming down. 'Why?'

'I have to. If I don't that meddling matron will interfere with everything. She'll take the watch off and then…' I broke off as I shivered. Why was I so cold?

'Sec.' Martha sat next to me and held my hand. My heart seemed to stop. 'I know you're trying to keep things as normal looking as possible, but you're making yourself worse. Please, just for me, take a break?'

How could I deny her when she looked like that? Slowly I nodded and laid still against the pillow.

She smiled and made her way to the wardrobe to find a pair of clean nightclothes for me. 'What made you so angry?' I asked her as she shuffled through the little amount of clothes I had. I noticed she hissed as she breathed in. After a pause she told me. 'Baines. That's all I have to say.'

That good for nothing child! I wanted to wring his neck! But as I tried to sit up Martha pushed me back onto the bed again. 'Ah, ah, ah.' She said with a frown. 'What did I say?' I gave a small, pathetic smile as she sat next to me again, with nightclothes in hand. 'Come on, let's get you dressed into something cleaner and more comfortable.'

I felt a heavy weight descend upon me as she unfolded the long shirt. She had never… no! 'Martha, I will do it.'

'In your state? Don't be silly.'

'I can do it myself.'

She stared at me then began to unbutton my shirt. 'Martha…' I tried to stop her hands. I failed miserably. Giving up, I just lay and clenched my eyes shut. Martha must have noticed my horror as I felt her hands leave my shirt and instead hold the side of my face. I let out the breath that I had been holding and I looked at her regretful face. 'Thank you.'

* * *

Martha

So much for a nice little break from those little pratts. My lunch break over, I was on my knees again, scrubbing the classroom floor as the Doctor sat at the desk with his research. Wait, sorry. Not the Doctor; Mr. Smith. 'Miss Martha.' He started, not taking his eyes from the book he was reading. 'Yes, sir?' I panted from the floor. God, this scrubbing stuff was hard work! 'I wanted to talk to you about that dream…' His voice trailed off as he stared into space, as though remembering something. My spirits perked. 'Martha, just one trip.' He breathed, still in his trance like state. I felt my smile widen. 'Doctor?'

'Hm, what?' He snapped out of it. AAARGH! WHY!!??

'Nothing, sir. You just… went a little quiet.'

'Did I really? How interesting.'

I sat on my knees, ignoring the cloth and bucket on the floor. 'Sir, if I may have the rudeness to ask, but do you see any other companions in your dreams?'

'No I… Actually, now that you mention it I do. Quite a few in fact. But there is one in particular…' He leant back in his chair and looked thoughtful. 'A woman. Rose.'

'Anything else, sir?'

'I… I think I love her.'

I hung my head and smiled so that he couldn't see me. Good. As long as he could remember her, he was still the Doctor. I looked back at him and found his nose in the book again. Funny. I didn't get that feeling I normally got from looking at him. Well weird.

Well, back to floor scrubbing. Oh goody.

* * *

John

'Good morning, Mr. Smith.' Joan, the matron, said to me with a lovely smile. Such a smile… I dropped a book from the pile I had been carrying from my room. 'Oh!' I exclaimed, blushing at the fact that she had seen me do such a silly thing before her. I reached out my foot and touched it. 'Let me help…'

'No, no.' I interrupted her. 'I have it.'

I turned in circles. 'I must retrieve…' I started. Joan took the books from me with another smile. Quickly, not wanting to burden her with the load, I picked up the book and smiled back at her. 'Ah, good.' She said, trying hard not to laugh. Oh, I wish she would! 'No harm done,' I started, loosing myself in her gaze. 'Ah, so… how was Jenkins?'

'Just a slight bump to head, nothing serious. I think he's missing his mother more than anything.'

'Ah, can't let that happen.'

'He received a letter this morning so he's a lot more chipper. I seem to be holding your books.'

The books! I had completely forgotten about them! 'Sorry, so sorry.' I whispered reverently, taking them from her at once. 'Why don't we divide them?' She asked. 'Ah, yes, brilliant! Division of labour.' She took the top of the pile from me and smiled again. 'We make quite the team.'

'Yes, we do, don't we?'

Miss. Martha emerged from the office with her bucket and rag. 'Good evening, m'am.' She nodded her head in courtesy and left the two of us in peace. When she was out of earshot Joan spoke again. 'I think that your dear maid and the groundskeeper are an excellent team also.' Funny, I had thought that for a long while too. 'Yes, I agree completely.'

'I haven't seen much of him lately though. I wonder what is wrong with him?'

'Ah, Miss Martha told me that he has a cold. He still goes about his daily work, but she has advised him to shorten his workload.'

'I hardly think that Miss. Martha is qualified to comment on such things.'

'She is only worried about him. She tries to help everyone here far too much.'

'Still, there is no excuse for her giving out useless information to someone who clearly needs expert help.'

'Yes, you are right. I suspect they wouldn't want to disturb you though, my dear. They know you are very busy.'

Joan smiled at my comment and turned her interest back to the books. 'So, are these books being taken in any particular direction?'

'Yes.. ah…' I turned on my heel and led her in the direction of the library. 'This way.'

-------- Doctor • Who -------

'It has been such an awfully long time since I've been to a dance. But no one has asked me.' Joan said with a small defeated smile that made my heart break. We were stood on the stairwell having left the library, reading the notice for the town hall dance. Should I? Oh… she wouldn't want to go with me… would she? I looked at her again and my heart danced. Come now, man. Pluck up that British courage! 'Er… I, er…' I stuttered, trying to form a coherent sentence. 'I mean, ur… I never thought you'd want… want to go.' I suddenly realised how that sounded. I corrected myself quickly. 'I mean, there's no reason why you shouldn't… but I er.. I mean… if you wanted…'

'Mr. Smith…'

'I mean…' I took a step back.

'Behind you…'

I felt myself falling down the stairwell, surprised and stunned as I hit a few of the steps and winded when I hit the tiled floor, books and pages flying everywhere. Joan stood and looked down on me in her horror, her hands stuck to her cheeks.

I stood and smiled, holding the back of my head. 'John!' Joan called… she called my name. She was by my side in a flash and before I knew it I was in my study with her hands on the back of my head. I grunted in pain every time her fingers fluttered over the offending injury (which turned out to be nothing more than a simple cut and lump) but Joan was thorough. 'Stop it. The boys moan less than you.' I heard the amusement in her voice. 'But it hurts…'

The door was flung open by Miss. Martha who looked panic stricken. 'Is he alright?' She asked, her face drained. 'Excuse me, Martha. 'Joan started, her voice lowered. 'It is hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking.' Yes, Martha. I thought. Very impolite. Please leave. Martha bowed her head in shame, left the room, closed the door and knocked. Entering, she hopped over to us, still panicked. 'But is he alright, m'am? Sir, someone told me you fell down the stairs…'

'No…' I was starting to grow weary of her company. I only wanted Joan here, not some annoying little girl who felt the need to intrude. 'It was only a tumble.'

'Have you checked for concussion?' Martha looked at Joan with pleading eyes. 'I have. And I dare say I know a lot more about it than you.' She replied slowly, speaking as though the girl couldn't understand. I was inclined to agree at that moment in time. Martha's face fell, her eyes starting to brim with what I thought were tears. 'Sorry…' She nodded and left, closing the door behind her quickly. I heard her hurried footsteps echoing along the corridor.

'So, these dreams…' Joan continued from yesterday's discussion, taking in her hands my _Journal of Impossible Things_ and examining the page within. 'You said that you were an alien traveller hiding in human form?'

'Yes, I also said I had two hearts.'

'Well…' She gave an amused smile, put my journal down and produced a stethoscope from her medical bag. 'Let us check for this unusual phenomena…' She put the instrument to her ears and to my chest, smiling. After a few seconds she removed it. 'No, only one, strong human heart.'

'But imagine… if it were real, Joan. But it's nothing more than a dream.'

* * *

_To my reviewers_ - Thanks for being a patient bunch **:D**

**Mad-Hatter-LCarol** - No, don't get me started on Jack... **XD**. And yes, Sec has psychic powers that were... limited... when he was shoved inside a cold, pepperpot shell. But behold! He has the power!

**Lady Willow Rose/Hexian Press** - ((Rolls eyes)) Are you complaining? 42 wasn't that long, was it? ((Looks over pages)) ... Oh. Well... Silly, Willow. You made me write too much. ((Shakes head)) Such sillyness...

**Power of the Wol - **Force push? Is that some kind of Jedi thingy ma bob? ( oo ) ? Meh. Glad it amused you so much anyway. **:D**

**pachysam 2 **- Glad you're enjoying the story and thanks for the advice. I'll keep it in mind... along with the angry mob my mate suggested. Don't know how I'll use an angry mob yet, but there you go. Some things are better left until needed.** :D**

**buchanchem - **What? I think a flag army is a brillo idea! ((Knits flags)) Weeeeeeeeeeeee! Flags!

**Danica Enjorlas** - ((Sticks tongue out in mock mocking)) Nothing wrong with M/S shipping, is there? And if you didn't like John in the last chapter, I daredn't ask how you felt about him in this one... (Oo)

**Melora Maxwell - **I know Son of Mine is a scary, hairy little B! But.. he has to be... ((shudders)) And why get up so early for uni? Which one do you go to? I thought I had it tough in the morning... ( ..) Bless your little cotton socks.

**big fan!!!** - Update? You want update? Here is your update. Lol. Hopey you likey.

**Dorey - **Mwahahahahahahaha. Who says they'll get together? ((Evil plotting afoot))... ((Realises I'll probably be lynched with spoons))... ((whistles innocently)). Bah, unlucky for you. I hated school. And would you really buy money for it? I wouldn't... it's not that good... Lol))

**The Last Dalek **- "Let out the inner Dalek..." I like that. That's going to be my motto from now on. That is, if you don't mind. **:D** But you should know by now that I'm the cruel kind of sod that might not let them kiss. Bwahahah.

**YAXON **- Glad you're enjoying the story **:D**... But your name creeps me out slighty. Did you mean it to remind people of Saxon? ((Hides in fear of evil Time Lord type Saxon peoples))


	19. A Falling Star

Disclaimer - Unfortunately I do NOT own Doctor Who nor am I Russell T Davies or his pen. I am a lowly student who can only hold claim to the small sections of story that I made up, not the main episodes. I have no rights over the main characters either, otherwise Sec would be my bestest friend in the world, Martha would have a boyfriend and the Doctor would get fruit in his pockets more often. I am making no monies from this ((damn, I need money!))

* * *

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Martha

'M'am!' I rushed down the corridor after the matron as the bell rang. She stopped and looked at me as I reached her, the Doctor's journal in her arms. 'That book…'

'Oh, I'll look after it; he did say I could read it.'

'But it's silly! That's all…'

She looked at me scathingly. Trying my damndest to keep from doing the same I continued. 'Just stories.'

'Who is he, Martha?'

'I'm sorry?' Awkward question panel time. She stared at me, to the book and then back to me again. 'It's like he's left the kettle on. He knows he has something to get back to, but he can't remember what.'

'That's just him.' I gave a small, forced laugh. Please don't ask any more questions… please!

'You arrived with him, didn't you?' I nodded. 'He found you employment?'

'Yes. Mr. Diagoras and I used to work for the family. He just sort of inherited us.'

'Hm, well, I'd be careful.' She looked down at me like I wasn't worth the time. '_Stay polite, Martha… keep a straight face…__'_ I thought, blinking.

'If you don't mind me saying you sometimes seem a little too familiar with him. Remember your position.' She nodded and left.

'Yes m'am.' I spat, turning on my heel and leaving. Finally, I could go home… well, kind of. First, I had a little time to spend with my new pal, Jenny.

-------- Doctor • Who -------

We sat outside in the dark with the light of the moon and that of the lamps inside the pub. Jenny and I had laughed so hard I'd fallen out of my seat and onto the sopping floor. 'You're all wet!' Jenny pointed and laughed as I sat back on the bench and sipped at my watered down wine with gloved hands. I laughed too… but it was pretty cold.

I felt guilty though, looking back towards the school. Sec had demanded that I come here and relax and I couldn't sway him otherwise. If I had stayed, he would have moaned and moaned and moaned… and a moaning Dalek is not a good Dalek to be around.

'So then…' Jenny sipped at her equally water like wine. 'You and Seth? Come on. You know you like him.'

'Jenny…'

'Martha, you look like an old married couple as it is.'

'I'll take that as a compliment!' I laughed. Old, she said…

'Why does he never come out? It's like he doesn't want to be seen.'

'Nah, he just gets tired easily. Really tired. But you know what? I think I'll make something nice for him when I get back. A tasty cake… well, I say tasty.'

Jenny laughed again. 'No, my love. You're a wonderful girl and a brilliant maid. But you are no cook.'

I agreed with her.

We both shivered as a cold breeze nipped at our bodies. 'I just wish we could sit inside.'

'Where do you get these ridiculous notions from?'

'But don't you just want to scream sometimes? Just want to tell them?'

'I don't know…' She smiled. 'Things must be different in your country.'

'Yeah, well they are. Thank God I'm not staying.'

'You keep saying that.'

'Well, we are! We're leaving… In just a couple of months, I'll be home. Sec…' I stopped myself from saying his real name and faked a cough. 'I just wish you could come with us Jenny.'

'Where are you going to go?'

I looked up at the sky, to the stars and the moon. 'Up there. Far away, where we're happy.'

'You are a dreamer, do you know that?'

'I know.' I said, smiling a genuine smile as I looked up at the twinkling lights.

A strange light! Green! There for a split second… 'Did you see that?' I asked Jenny, disbelief on my face. 'See what?'

'Did you see it though? Right up there, before the trees.'

'Martha, there's nothing there, darling.'

The matron came running from the path in the woods, terrified. 'Matron?' I asked, catching her. She was shaking. 'Did you see that?' She asked me. 'There was something in the woods. A green light!'

'Evening ladies.' The Doctor had come out from inside the pub. Joan jumped right on him. 'Look, something in the sky!' She pointed as the light faded into the distance. 'Ah, commonly known as a meteorite.' The Doctor said, sounding Doctor-ish ever so slightly. Or was I just hoping? 'Now, shall I escort you ladies back to the school?'

'Jenny,' I started as we followed him. 'Where was that? Where the light was headed?'

'That's by Cooper's field.'

'Sec…'

I ran past them back in the direction of the school, Jenny calling after me to stop and walk with them. 'I can't! I need to see Seth!'

'Oh… alright then. Say hello for me, please!'

'Will do!'

* * *

Sec

I lay in bed, next to the crackling fire that Martha had made before she left, wrapped in what could only be described as a million blankets. I was half asleep, not really aware of my surroundings, thinking about what had happened earlier that day. How could I let anyone see my new body when I wasn't fully comfortable with it myself?

The door was forced open, barely unlocked, and slammed shut again. 'Sec!' Martha called to me as she ran up the stairs. 'I lifted my head slightly to see her come inside the bedroom, panic stricken. 'Martha? What..?'

'I think they're here.'

'No…' They couldn't be. How could they have traced us? 'Martha, are you sure?' I asked her as she sat by my side. 'Well, it wasn't a meteorite like John Smith claimed it was.' She put on a stupid face and voice when she said the Doctor's new name, making it obvious that she rather disliked his human persona. I felt even worse now.

'I'm going to check where the light landed. See what I can see.'

'No you are not!' I argued, coughing at the same time.

'Sec, I'm a big girl. I'll be safe.'

'I'm coming with you…'

'No you're bloody not!'

'Martha… you seem to forget that what I am when I'm angry.' I warned her, feeling the suppressed Dalek notions surface. 'You will be safer if I'm there.'

'And you'll be safer here.'

'Martha, that is an order and you will obey me!'

She shuffled away from me, her face portraying her horror and confusion. I breathed and tried to calm myself. 'I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not.'

-------- Doctor • Who -------

We walked through the undergrowth of the forest towards Cooper's field, Martha holding my hand as I shook with the cold. 'Are you sure you don't want to go back?' She asked me with pleading eyes. I avoided her gaze. 'Yes.'

'Okay.'

Emerging onto Cooper's field, we heard the call of crows and a black field with nothing there. Funny, I should have heard them before. My illness was affecting my senses. 'I saw… I know I saw a light.'

'Martha, I believe you, but there is nothing here.'

'But I know it came here…'

I shivered. 'Let's go back to the cottage. We'll continue this tomorrow when we can both think properly.'

I led her away, stumbling as I did. 'Sec, I'm sorry I dragged you out here.' She whispered, keeping close to me in the hope of sharing body heat. 'No, I chose to come with you.' I coughed in reply.

'I have a better idea than that cottage.' Martha said with a small smile on her face, leading me away towards an old shed in the woods. The shed where we had hidden the TARDIS.

Once inside, Martha opened the door to the TARDIS and we both moved inside. It was cold, not only in temperature but in atmosphere. Martha, however, spoke to the machine. 'Hello… I'm talking to a machine.' She rolled her eyes at me and moved forwards. I followed her and sat on the captain's chair when I found I could stand no longer. I watched Martha's face as she looked at the console. She was remembering, but what I did not know. Then, her eyes went upwards and I knew then what had drawn her attention; the chameleon arch. She looked away from it quickly. 'Martha.' I breathed holding out my pathetic arm to her. She sat down by my side and I held onto her like she was the last thing in the universe. I heard it too; the Doctor's screams rang through my mind as well as hers. 'A couple of months.' I breathed in her ear. 'Just a little longer.'

She nodded and lay her head on my shoulder. The monitor sat before us. Not thinking, I reached out and played the message that the Doctor had left for us. We had never seen this before, choosing to improvise. The Doctor on the monitor sat in the chair that we now occupied and tapped the glass. 'Is this thing working?' We both smirked. 'Martha? Sec? Before I change, here's a list of things to do when I'm human. One, don't let me hurt anyone. We can't have that, but you know what humans are like.' A personal joke that the Doctor and I had. Martha didn't understand, but I did. Best not to tell her. 'Two, don't worry about the TARDIS. I'll put her on emergency power so they can't detect her. Let her hide. Four… no… wait a minute, three! No getting involved with big historical events. Four, you two.' We looked at each other and then back at the recorded Doctor. 'Look after each other, make sure you keep well with that watch, Sec. And Martha? Try not to worry about everything. Most importantly, don't let me abandon you. Five…'

Martha jumped from the seat and sped through the video. 'But there was a thing! What do we do if a thing falls from the sky!?' She let the video resume and stepped back so I could see. 'And twenty- three.' The Doctor continued. 'If anything goes wrong, if they find us, then you know what to do. Open the watch. Everything I am is kept safe in there. Now, I've put a perception filter on it so the human me won't think anything of it. It's just a watch as far as he's concerned. Now, don't open it unless you have to. Because once it's open, that Family will be able to find me. See you guys later. Oh, and thank you.'

* * *

**To my reviewers** - Thank you! You're a beautiful audience!** :D**

**thepennameboo** - Yay! A theme tune! I want a theme tune. Lol I don't like Joan either. Shh...

**Mad-Hatter-LCarol** - Thanks. Don't worry. No more floor scrubbing for Martha. Now she gets to run around in circles instead. **XD**

**Lady Willow Rose** - Running around bits, coming up! ((Tosses bits in a pan, pnacake style... and gets it stuck to the ceiling.)) Oops.

**Buchanchem** - A kiss? Not yet, old bean. Lol. We need more flags, blat it all!

**Melora Maxwell** - Aww, I wanted to go to Uni of Stirling Blasted grades. Oh well, good motto, I must say. I feel the pain.

**Twilightgirl **- I think Sec should recieve more hugs. We should set up a _"Free Hugs for Daleks Day"!_ Thanks for the review. **:D**

**big fan!!!** - Hehehehehehe... don't worry. They'll be a fight between Son of Mine and someone. Just wait and see.

**Power of the Wol** - Shhh. British courage is supposed to start off like cowardice. That's how it fools people into false security. Lol

**Dorey** - Didn't every year's Yr 7s want to kill everyone? That was my experience at school... No one liked 6th formers... no one like our year in general, no matter what stage we were at ((sighs)). I love the knocking scene too... I toned it down though. Don't know why...

**Sharon Rackham** - Hey, you're very welcome. Thank _you_ for the review.

**Yaxon **- I should have known... ((Hides from name again)) Lol

**Danica Enjolras** - Aw no... an extreme shipper! What have I done? ((Hides from the BBC)) I regret nothing!!!

**The Last Dalek** - More Sec now! And more Sec to come. **:D** Everyone hates Joan... there should be a club about that somewhere... Lol


	20. Unusual Actions

Disclaimer - I own nothing from Doctor Who. All the characters, storylines or items belong to the BBC (unless stated otherwise) and I am making no money (blast) from this story. The storyline, I know I have changed and made different from the series, but this is only to help Sec keep in there. And no... I am not Russell T Davis' pen. Unfortunately.

Author's Note - Hello again everyone! Sorry it took so long to update but Ive had more than just work on my mind lately. You see, I'm doing a fundraiser for Children in Need starting Monday so... I've been trying (and failing) to promote that. In case your wondering, I'm going to be a Singing Philosopher. How dudey is that? Lol. In other news, I have the series three soundtrack now and am really tempted to rename that "Mr.Smith and Joan" track to "The Maid and the Groundskeeper" ((rolls on floor)). Anyways, on with the show! Woot!

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY

John

'We could do better, sir. Latimer is being deliberately shoddy.' Hutchinson snarled. I looked down at Latimer. The lad didn't seem himself today, not since I had seen him in my office. 'I'm trying my best.' Latimer replied, looking at Hutchinson. 'You need to be better than the best.' The headmaster spoke behind me. 'Those targets are tribesmen from the dark continent.'

'That's exactly the problem, sir.' Latimer said, looking at the targets. 'They only have spears.' He looked at the headmaster. I admired his morality but it was senseless in a situation like this. The headmaster made his displeasure known. 'Oh dear me. Latimer takes it upon himself to make us realise how wrong we all are. I hope Latimer, one day we have a just and proper war in which you can prove yourself. Now, resume firing.'

Latimer and Hutchinson turned back to the artillery and once again began to fire at the crude targets swaying in the breeze. The gun ran dry of bullets. Latimer was staring into space, his body frozen. 'Stop it. Immediate action.' Hutchinson turned to the headmaster. 'Didn't I tell you, sir? The stupid boy is useless. Permission to give Latimer a beating , sir?'

The headmaster turned to me. 'It is your class, Mr. Smith.'

'Permission granted.' Maybe a quick smack would bring the boy back to Earth.

Hutchinson grabbed Latimer and dragged him away. 'Come with me, you little oik.' As the rest of the group followed, I turned to Baines who stared at me and sniffed. 'Anything the matter, Baines? Do you have a cold?'

'I thought… No, sir. Nothing, sir.' He followed his classmates. How odd these boys were becoming lately.

'As you were, Mr. Smith.' The headmaster called as he left. I turned to find Joan gazing at me. I smiled. 'Ah yes… Pemberton, Smyth, Wickes, take post.' I called to them as I made my way to her. 'Ah! Nurse Redford.' I smiled at her.

'Um, I'll give you back your journal the next I see you.' She seemed a little quiet today.

'No, no, you don't have to.'

'If you'll excuse me, Mr. Smith. I was just thinking about the day my husband was shot.' With that she hurried away. I had completely forgotten about that. I looked at the ground in shame. I would make it up to her. I would ask her to the dance tonight. Somehow.

Diagoras appeared, carrying with him his tools. 'Ah! Mr. Diagoras, lovely to see you.' He looked at me and bowed his head. 'Good afternoon, Mr. Smith.' I made my way to him and watched as the boys fired at the targets. 'Cease fire!' I called, the boys stopping and waiting for my next instruction. 'I haven't seen you in a while, Mr. Diagoras. Are you well?'

'Just a case of the flu, sir.'

'Good man. It takes a strong being to carry on his duty regardless.'

'Thank you, sir.'

'Now, I wanted a word with you. There is a dance tonight, at the village hall. I thought perhaps you might like to invite Miss Martha to accompany you? I will pay for you to enter.' I pulled from my pocket enough money for their entrance and drinks, took his hand and put the money in his palm. He looked surprised and shocked. 'Thank you, sir. But…'

'Ah, ah. No buts. Both yourself and Miss Martha need relaxation. I demand that you come.'

Slowly, he nodded. 'Thank you, sir.'

'You're very welcome… just a minute. Resume fire!' I called to the boys who began their work. I noticed that Diagoras flinched at the term. 'Very well. I will see you both there tonight.' I walked away from him, a large smile on my face.

-------- Doctor • Who -------

'I understand it now.' Joan said with a smile as we walked along the fields. 'The Doctor is who you would like to be, doing impossible things with cricket balls and such.' She laughed, still impressed by my heroics with the piano and the baby in the cot. 'He also seems to have an eye for the ladies.'

'The devil!' I joked, laughing at myself.

'With a girl hidden in every fireplace.'

'I can assure you I am nothing like that in reality… hold on, that scarecrow's all askew.'

I made my way up the hill, Joan following me, towards the scarecrow. 'Ever the artist…' Joan said as I put the model back on its stand. 'Where did you learn to draw?'

'Gallifrey.'

'Is that in Ireland?'

I paused. 'Yes, it must be. Yes.'

'But you're not Irish.'

'No, not at all. My father, Sidney, was a watchmaker from Nottingham. My mother, Verity, was… well, she was a nurse actually.'

'Oh! We make such good wives.' She smiled.

'Really? Right… well…' I looked at the scarecrow, now back in place. 'My work is done, what do you think?'

'A masterpiece.'

'Oh, I forgot to mention. Mr. Diagoras and Miss Martha are coming to the dance tonight as well.'

'So not only are you a teacher, you are a Doctor and artist and a matchmaker as well?'

'It looks that way.'

* * *

Sec

Drumming. Loud, war like drumming. Where was it coming from? I opened my eyes against the dim light of the room. Oh, if this light hurt me, what would any brighter light do? As my eyes adjusted, I realised I was not in the cottage, I was in the TARDIS. My room… How? Then I remembered. I remembered watching the Doctor's video with Martha. She stood and went to the end of the video and when it ended… I remember her calling my name. That's all I remembered. Where was Martha? I tried to move but my neck was so stiff. I began to panic and tried to speak. My voice came out as a strangled silence. The drums died away into nothing.

As my senses slowly came back to life, I felt her next to me. Ignoring the pain, I turned to find her fast asleep, holding my arm as though to reassure me she was there. I smiled slightly and found myself falling back to sleep. When I woke up next, she was gone, leaving only a note to explain to me that she was late for work. So was I then. Shaking, I slipped out of bed, found my shoes, hat and scarf (an overly long, autumn toned one, which the Doctor seemed to have a special fondness of) and left the TARDIS, locking the door with my own key.

Stumbling through the woods, I tripped over the scarf, catching myself on a nearby tree to stop me hitting the ground. Standing, I wound the scarf once more around my neck and carried on towards the school. My first job was to clear the driveway of leaves. I hoped there was not much to clean.

-------- Doctor • Who -------

Pesky leaves! Why could they not just clear themselves!? Or even better, why could they just not burn up when the fell from the tree? I swept and raked the leaves off of the drive and onto the grass, far away from the building. Some of the boys, Baines included, were stood outside, laughing and talking. But Baines wasn't. He was staring at me intently. Every now and then, I'd look at him out of the corner of my eye and find his gaze still upon me. That boy was asking for trouble.

Martha appeared, running through the crowd of boys as they jeered at her. I bit my lip and continued with my work. It was then that I noticed Baines' gaze followed her as she came up next to me, holding a flask in her hand. 'Sorry about this morning.' She said as I finally stood up straight. We ignored the boy's taunts. 'You know what the nice little headmaster is like when the maid's are late.'

'Yes, I know.'

'I got some chicken soup from the kitchen for you. It's really hot now, so give it a minute, okay?'

'Yes, thank you Martha.' She turned to leave. 'Martha.' She turned back to me, confused. 'What happened to me last night?'

'You collapsed, Sec. I couldn't wake you up or anything.'

'Thank you. And Martha? Be careful. Baines is acting strangely.'

Martha turned to face Baines, stared at him for a second and then looked back at me. 'I know, he's been doing it all morning. I'll come back at my break. Promise.' She smiled and left, quick to return to her chores. I nursed the flask she had given me, watching Baines carefully. Something wasn't right.

Another hour later, the boys long gone, Martha returned with a small paper wrapped package in her arms. 'Dinner!' She smiled and sat next to me on the nearby bench. 'As you can tell, I didn't make them.' She said, halfway through her chicken sandwhich. 'I don't think there is anything wrong with your food.' I lied, taking a bite of my own. 'You don't have to be so nice to me, you know.' I looked at her. She was smiling and reached for the empty flask by my feet. 'Wow, somebody got hungry.' I smiled at her comment. 'And you shaved, I noticed.' I unconsciously ran my hand along my chin, feeling hardly any hair. 'Yes, but I really do not like those… what are they called?'

'Razors?'

'Yes, that's the term.'

Then, Baines and his friends returned. They stopped underneath the trees, some of them kicking the leaves back onto the drive. I felt my body go rigid but did nothing. Martha held my hand, her thumb making little circles on the back. Baines however, did nothing but stand and stare at them. 'There's something up with Baines. Seriously.' Martha said as we both watched him. His head jerked and he looked straight back at the building, through the walls, as though he could see something before sniffing the air.

Martha and I looked at each other. Something definitely wasn't right.

* * *

To My Reviewers - Now for the running around bits **XD**. Thanks for the reviews guys!

**Melora Maxwell - **Well, I'm at Staffordshire uni now... and I can't wait for the Christmas holidays either. I can go home to my comfy, silent bedromm and get some actual sleep **:p**. Lol. Don't worry... that watch doesn't stay on for much longer... Mwahahaha. Son of Mine, beware!

**The Last Dalek/Dalek Avion - **Watch out Van Stratten! Lol. Never liked him... Anyways, glad you're loving the story.** :D** And the kiss bit? I'm already in hiding from the BBC, I don't need to give them something else to get me with **OoO**. But, you might get a kiss sooner than you think, you might not. Bwahahahaha.

**Big Fan!!! - **It isn't long until the Family come out of hiding, trust me. Next chapter... All Hell breaks loose. Meep.

**Stella the Sniper - **I know! I laughed too. He likes his lists, bless him Anyways, here you go. More soon.

**Buchanchem - **Shhh. I'm not old. ((Looks about room)) I'm not getting grey hairs, I swear. It's a wig. Lol. You're right, we need more flags.

**YAXON - **A... flamethrower? Meep. Please, please don't hurt me! And thanks for recommending the story to people. Much appreciated!

**Dorey - **You'll be able to see Sec's reaction next chapter. Oooooh. ((Twitches with excitement)). Aw, old Sec and Martha... while their grown kids moan at each other about relative dimensions and positions of stars and the Doctor (twice regenerated now) tries to read his paper. Lol. That's a good image.

**Mad-Hatter-LCarol - **Bless you and your circles. Sec will soon let out the inner Dalek for everyone, don't you worry about that.

**Da More Fishy - **And he'll get even more Dalek next chapter. Yay, for plot sequencing!

**Danica Enjolras - **It's true. I regret nothing. Lol. I know... I wish Martha and Sec would just get together... but I'm pure evil and like to mess around with things. Bwahahahahahaha!

**Koschei966 - **Thanks for the review! 'Tis greatly appreciated.

**Sharon Rackham - **You're still very welcome, and thank you very much for reviewing

**Gaaraofthesandvillage - **Cheers! Thanks for reviewing. Hope it didn't take you too long to read it all. I rant a bit. Lol.


	21. Four Bodysnatchers

Disclaimer - I own nothing from the world of Who (bah, blast it all), except for the obviously glaring parts of the story that weren't there before. I do not own Russell T Davies either (damn). Also, I am making no monies from this story. That's why I'm still poor. Woo. Rawr. Wow, these disclaimers are getting short.

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Martha

We stood in the corner of the town hall, watching John and matron chatting away to themselves on their own little table. Everyone else in the room threw us nasty glares. I knew what they were thinking: what is that filthy girl and senseless oaf doing here? Sec was shaking under the heat of the room. Giving his hand a reassuring squeeze, I cast my eyes around the room, looking for anyone suspicious.

Jenny hadn't quite been herself today, I'd noticed. That gave me cause for concern. I hadn't told Sec either; I didn't want to. It would only make him worse. I turned my head again and found him giving me a small smile. 'We can do this.' I smiled back at him.

'I don't know how to dance.' He said, his face turning rather sheepish.

'Neither do, I. Well, not like this anyway.' I looked about the room. As soon as my gaze caught sight of someone who had been staring at us they turned quickly away. Turning back to him with a cheeky grin on my face, told him I'd teach his to dance properly when we got out of here. He smiled but looked confused all the same. 'I thought this was…'

'This is waltzing. It's boring.' A nearby man chocked on his ale when he heard me say that. I knew what he was thinking. How could a servant girl know how to dance? I had to fight not to laugh.

I looked down at my dress. It was a plain, simple thing. A little on the grey side. Sec was wearing an equally as simple suit I found in the TARDIS wardrobe. He didn't seem bothered about it. No, he seemed more bothered about any possible shape shifters that were floating around. Me? I was concerned about him. 'Sec, come on. Let's sit down for a bit.' I didn't give him the chance to argue back. Pulling him into a nearby chair, I sat next to him and we both kept a close eye on John.

Ten minutes had passed before Sec gave me a gentle nudge. I looked at him and he nodded his head in direction of the door. Tim Latimer had snuck into the party, looking confused and terrified. 'Timmy.' I whispered, trying to get his attention before anyone else saw him. 'Timmy!' Louder this time, he heard me and made directly for us. 'Tim, what is it?' I asked him, concern in my voice.

'Martha… I… Mr. Smith…'

At that moment, Mr. Chambers, the guy in charge if this event, called out to the audience. 'Tim, hide!' I told him and he did, behind a table. 'Ladies and gentlemen, please take your partners for a waltz!' Chambers shouted. I looked at Sec and he back at me with great uncertainty. We couldn't stay with Tim: it could make someone notice us and right now, we didn't need that.

I led Sec onto the dancefloor and held his hand and his shoulder. 'No, Sec. You hold my hand too. Right, and behind my back. Yep, you've got it.' He looked at me nervously and then back to the table which Tim was hiding behind. When the music started I tried to lead him in the right way, whispering instructions to him, but with his two left feet and his illness quickly coming back into full force, he stumbled and tripped. Eventually, I sat him down back at our table and held his one hand whilst the other held his head on the table. 'Sec, are you okay?'

'My head. All I can hear is a deep bang.'

'Your head's banging?'

'Yes.'

Tim lifted his head above the table slightly so only we could see him. 'Mr. Diagoras?'

'I'm fine, Tim. Thank you. Nothing but a headache. It will pass.'

He nodded and I cast an eye around the room quickly before turning back to him. 'Tim, what is it? What do you need to tell us?'

'It's about this.' He lifted something from his pocket and showed it to us. 'Oh my God.' I whispered. Sec looked like he was about to collapse. 'I opened it.' Tim shivered, holding the Doctor's fob watch in his hand. 'I opened it… and I saw… everything. '

'Tim…'

'You're not from this time, Miss Martha. You're from the future.' He pointed to me. 'And you sir, your not even of this planet.'

'And the Doctor? What about the Doctor, Tim? Is he alright?'

'He says… he says you need to tell him. You need to tell Mr. Smith.'

I stood quickly and practically ran to the table at which matron was sat, my heart beating madly. On my way I noticed a lonely little girl with a bright balloon watching me. She must have been dragged here by her parents, bless her.

I reached the table and the matron, who I admit looked quite nice, didn't look happy to see me. 'May I sit down?' I asked her. Slowly, she nodded. 'Thanks.'

'What is it Martha? You are supposed to be with your gentleman friend.'

'He's different from every other man you've ever met, right?' I asked, referring to John.

'Yes.' She sounded rather bored already. Well damn her if she didn't care, but I wasn't going to let anything happen to anyone here. 'And sometimes, he says things you can't understand…'

'But of course I can't understand. I'm a woman, for pity's sake!'

'Don't talk like that. Now, you need to listen to me. You know when you look in his eyes there is something deeper… something so strange about him. Something hidden.'

'I… don't know what you mean.' She shook her head dismissively, but I could tell by the look on her face that was I getting somewhere. 'But I just want to say sorry for what I'm about to do, because you're beautiful and wonderful… and you don't deserve what will happen but it can't be helped.'

'You make it sound as though you will murder me!'

'No… I hope nobody dies. That's why I have to do what I'm about to do.'

John arrived and pulled a face. 'Oh, Martha. For once, don't meddle with my affairs. Look, be a good girl and go keep Mr. Diagoras company.'

I stood, ignoring what he had just said, producing the Sonic Screwdriver from the pocket of my dress. 'Do you know what this is? Do you remember it?'I begged him. He looked at me, baffled beyond belief. 'Name it. Please, just name it.' I would have been on my knees if the dress would have allowed it. Matron turned to him. 'John? What is that silly thing? John?'

He looked at me warningly. I nodded that he could have it. Slowly, he took it from my hand and examined it, moving it around in his fingers, measuring its weight. 'You're not John Smith. You're the Doctor. The man in your journal is real.' I smiled hopefully as a tiny glimmer of his normal self flashed through. 'He's you!'

There was a loud crash and the whole room turned to find Farmer Clark, Baines and… 'Jenny!' She looked at me coldly and grinned. 'You will be silent!' Farmer Clark called out to the screaming audience. He held a gun in his hand… he same gun used by the fake Judoon. I looked at Sec from across the room. Anger and hatred were written all over his face. He got to his feet but I shook my head and he stopped. Then, just to make matters so much worse, living scarecrows marched into the room. 'Oh God… no. Not now.' I nearly cried. All that hard work Sec and me had done was for nothing.

Mr. Chambers walked forward. Mr. Clark! What's going on!?' "Clark" just turned on him and shot, evaporating him. My heart went cold and I felt a cold sweat beginning on my forehead. 'Mr. Smith.' I turned to him as mass panic ensured again. 'Forget everything I told you, okay? Forget it all. Pretend you don't know anything.'

'But I don't know anything!'

'We asked for silence!' Baines hollered with the slightest hint of laughter in his voice. I turned to him, glaring at the trio coldly. 'Now then… we have a few questions for Mr. Smith.'

'No, better than that.' The little girl I had seen earlier with the balloon skipped forward. 'No, better than that.' She said with a smile. 'The teacher, he's the Doctor. I heard them talking.'

Baines looked like he was about to dance. 'You took human form?'

'Of course I'm human. I was born human, just as you were, Baines!' John panicked, shaking slightly. It was only then that I realised the whole room were keeping away from us. 'And what's going on?' He demanded. 'This is madness!'

'Oooh, he's got a human brain, too.' Baines cooed. I shuddered. 'Simple, thick and dull.'

Jenny turned to Clark. 'He's no good like this.' Oh God… Jenny. Why had I let you go out this morning? Why had I? And that girl… she would have had such a life… Clark… He had a family! And Baines… Well, I might not have liked him, but nobody deserved that. Clark turned back to us, glaring at the Doctor. 'We need, a Time Lord.'

'Easily done.' Baines stepped forward and produced another gun, pointing it at the Doctor. The whole room gasped, stepping back closer to the wall, all except Sec who was gradually moving forwards slowly, but surely. 'Change back.' Baines hissed.

'I don't know what you're talking about!'

'CHANGE BACK!'

'I.. What.. I DON'T KNOW!'

Something grabbed me and I screamed as a gun was put to my head. 'MARTHA!' Sec hollered almost running for me. 'Not so fast, Dalek! One more step and she dies!' That was Jenny's voice… Sec stopped, looking at me hopelessly. I tried not to look terrified but I couldn't manage it. 'Sec.'

'Martha, it's alright…'

Jenny put the gun harder to my head. 'She's your friend, isn't she? Then make him change back and she won't be hurt.'

'Sec… no.'

'Don't you care about her? Well, she cares about you. Really cares.' She laughed and I felt sick. 'And what about you, Doctor? Does this scare you enough to change back!?'

'I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN!!'

'Wait a minute…' The fake Jenny breathed down my back. 'The maid mentioned something about the matron, when this pathetic body still belonged to her friend.' Clark took matron roughly by the wrist and dragged her away, holding the gun to her head, just as it was to mine. Baines stepped forwards, smiling wildly. 'Have you enjoyed it, Doctor? Being human? Has it taught you wonderful things? Made you better, richer, wiser?' I looked at Sec who was examining the spectacle. I knew he was trying to come up with a plan. _'Come on Sec, use that bloody Dalek brilliance of yours.' _He didn't hear me. None of his senses were as they were since he'd become ill. I tried not to think about the guns pointed at mine and Joan's heads.

Baines sniffed and chuckled slightly. 'Answer me this. Which of these two wenches would you rather have us kill? You friend? The apple of your Dalek comrade's eye? Or the woman you love? Maid or matron?' He stepped forward, his eyes widening. 'YOUR FRIEND OR YOUR LOVER!?'

The room seemed to collapse around me. I'd been expecting this but had hoped it wouldn't happen. 'Your choice.'

* * *

John

'Make your decision, Mr. Smith.' Jenny demanded of me. How dare they? I thought this was all a cruel joke until Mr. Chambers was killed. 'Perhaps if that human heart breaks the Time Lord will emerge?' Baines said, almost casually. This was sick! Completely, utterly sick! Perhaps Martha had been right all along. No, she couldn't have been! No… now Joan was in danger! Joan, the one woman I found solace in!

Suddenly, the maniacs were looking about the room. I heard voices in my head, my voice, but it was different… _Change back! I have to change back! Come on, me. I have to change back! Time Lord! Don't leave me. Doctor? Are you alright? Tim! We meet at last, Doctor! Exterminate! Thank you, for everything… CHANGE BACK NOW!_ The chaos ended as soon as it had begun. When I looked about, Martha had turned the tables on Jenny and instead it was she that had the weapon thrust against her head, Martha using the other maid as a shield. 'One more move, and I shoot.' Martha said, her voice shaky. Baines laughed. 'And the maid is full of fire!'

'And you can shut up!' Martha shot at the ceiling to prove her point. 'Careful, Son of Mine.' Clark said warningly.

Diagoras was moving towards Martha slowly and finally took the weapon from her when he was by her side. 'You, have all crossed the line too many times.' His voice was a low, deadly growl of complete anger. 'Let the matron go. Now.'

'What if we refuse?' Baines asked simply.

'You will not refuse because that is an order. And you will obey me!'

'You see, Doctor? The Dalek here might be half human now, but he still has his old self there. Unlike you, you pathetic coward.'

Coward. That word stung and I don't even know why. It was as though someone in my head had heard it… and despised the term being used upon me. 'Look, you.' Martha stepped forwards slightly. 'He's a Dalek holding a gun. Do you want to risk it?' Slowly, the group lowered their weapons whilst Diagoras still kept the weapon raised. What did they call him? A Dalek? Why did that remind me of pain? Of soldiers and marching feet? Was a Dalek a soldier? Joan ran back to me and I held onto her.

'Doctor.' Martha said. I looked at her, now used to this name she had given me. 'Get everyone outside, through the door. Go on!' As I ushered everyone outside I turned to the couple who were staying behind and heard what was said between them. 'Martha, go with them.'

'No, I'm not leaving your side. Not anymore.'

* * *

Sec

Throwing Martha's old friend from me, I aimed more accurately as Baines, now Son of Mine, raised his gun to me. 'Don't try anything!' Martha said, moving around me to my side. 'Martha…'

'Quiet.'

'She's almost brave, this one.' Son of Mine smirked. 'Unusual in a human. How very interesting.'

'I should have taken her form.' Said the possessor of Jenny's body. 'Oh how sweet. You'll die together.'

I felt Martha tense beside me. 'And what about Jenny? Is she gone?'

'She has been consumed.'

'You mean she's dead?'

'Yes.'

'She had a life, you know!'

'Oh, I know.'

I wished this hadn't been brought up. For what had I done to those humans I had abducted in Manhattan? I'd done exactly the same. What had I done to Diagoras? I'd done the same as them… I was exactly like them. 'No what's this? A Dalek who cries?' Son of Mine whispered, stepping forward. 'A sentimental killer? This can't be right at all…'

'Sec?' Martha had hold of my sleeve , trying to get me to say something. I ignored her and stared through the tears that formed in my eyes. 'Could it possibly be that you are just as pathetic as the Doctor?'

'BACK OFF, FREAK!' Martha hollered. Out of shock and anger I shot and missed. But the action was enough to give Martha time to pull me from the building. As we did, the weapon slipped from my hand.

Outside, the Doctor was stood with the matron. 'I said go! God, you're rubbish as a human!' She squeaked.

-------- Doctor • Who -------

I lay in an empty bedroom in the school with Martha watching over me. I was so cold, so empty. Every inch of me hurt. 'Is he alright?' I heard the Doctor, but I did not open my eyes. I couldn't. It hurt too much. 'No.' Martha answered simply. The matron was there too. I heard her muttering to herself. Martha ran her had over my forehead and I shivered. It was painful to breath, never mind move! 'Look, you must remember something.' Martha continued. 'Sec is like you. He's an alien too. But he doesn't look human unless he's wearing that goddamn watch, remember!?' She was getting angry now. I heard it. She was met by silence. 'Aargh! For God's sake, let him take the watch off, Doctor! He's dying! He's dying because of that bloody thing! Just let me take it off him. Please!'

I felt for Martha's hand and found it eventually. 'I don't understand, Martha. Why will the watch kill him?'

'Because it's making him look human! It's screwing up his entire body!'

'How…?'

'Oh, forget you. You're useless like this!'

The Matron spoke out. 'Now, there is no need for…'

'There is plenty of need! I care about Sec! He's my friend! He's been there for me all the time. You haven't!' I could only assume she was pointing to the Doctor. 'Forget you! I don't need your permission. Not now.'

I couldn't feel her take the watch from my wrist, nor could I feel the extra pain. I only knew I had changed because I heard the gasps from the two onlookers. 'Sec.' I felt Martha's hands against my face and I gave a weak smile. 'You'll be alright now. I promise.' I opened my eye slightly so that I could see and I found the matron had turned grey, the Doctor had frozen and Martha who was glaring at them. 'Okay, I told you I wasn't going to leave your side. I'm not.' She said, turning back to me. 'Martha, go. You'll be safer if you move.'

'I'm not leaving you.'

* * *

To My Reviewers - You're a lovely bunch, d'you know that? 

**big fan!!! - **Woohoo for standoffs! Hell breaking loose as we speak! Yay for hyperactivity! **:D**

**buchanchem - **((Makes flags)) I think we need a surplus of these things... And I never got to Guides. Just Brownies. Lol

**Mad-Hatter-LCarol - **Glad I could make you laugh with my whole Philosopher bit. Tee hee. And I needed to include the Scarf of Awesomeness in their somehwere. The Doctor isn't that bad at matchmaking either. **XD**

**Dorey - **((Glares at Baines with you)) ((Hisses))... ((Runs and hides)) Mummy!

**Dalek Avion - **Nope, Sec doesn't know Caan is still alive. The Doctor's witholding that information from him. I plan to use it at some point though When that is, even I don't know. Meep. On a more cheerier note, I'm glad you got Van Stattan's sorry derier (oo, now we're getting fancy). And yes, the drums are creepy. Wheeeeeee!

**Sharon Rackham - **Don't panic, lovey. I'm not planning on getting rid of Sec. I'm waaaaaaaaay too fond of him **:D **I'm happy your writing a story too. Will you please let me know when it's done so I can have a nosey? Cheers!


	22. Scarecrow's War

Disclaimer - I own nothing from Doctor Who (though I really wish I did). The characters and scenarios in this story belong to the BBC and the Doctor Who writer's imaginations. I am making no money from this story. Thank ye for listening to boring legal stuffage.

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Martha

I snuck around the school looking for Tim and the watch with matron after Sec had made me leave (he'd threatened to go face the family himself again) and already I was wishing she'd leave. 'I know it sounds mad, but when the Doctor became human he took the alien part of himself and stored it inside the watch. Well, it's not really a watch it just looks like a watch.' I whispered to her as we ducked into a small room that was shrouded in moonlight. 'And alien means not from abroad?' Matron asked, though by the tone of her voice I knew she already new the answer. I turned to her with pity and understanding. 'Listen, the man you call John Smith was born on another world. So… a relationship wouldn't be the best idea.'

'And what do you know about this kind of relationship?'

'I know what it's like, Joan.' Her face turned a very pallid shade of grey. 'You can't possibly… like that thing!?'

Any sympathy I might have felt for her at that moment suddenly disappeared. 'Yes, I do. But because he's from a different planet, it wouldn't work. And if you don't mind, don't call him a thing! Because I love him, and I don't call the Doctor a monster, do I? How would you feel if I turned around to John and called him a thing!?'

'Martha, please keep your voice down.'

'No! Do you know why? Because I'm angry! I'm angry at you! I'm angry at the Doctor! I'm angry at this whole time period! It sucks here!'

I sat on a nearby chair and screamed into my hands. After five minutes deathly silence, the matron moved slightly and spoke. 'And what are you and Diagoras in this story?' I breathed heavily and looked at her, my eyes stinging. 'I'm his friend. A companion. Human. I travel with him. I met him at the hospital where I worked.' I noted her snort of laughter but continued. 'We've been to places you could never dream of. At one of these places we met Sec, or as you know him Seth Diagoras. He needed to help his species to survive. He was their leader you see. But when the Doctor helped, Sec's race turned against them because they didn't like what was happening. They tried to kill the Doctor but Sec jumped in the line of fire to save him. He nearly died. But his species died as a result. He's the only one left now. Just like the Doctor.'

Matron looked at me with a raised eyebrow. 'And as for the laugh earlier, yes, I am training to be a doctor.'

'Nonsense. Women can not train to be doctor's and certainly not one of your colour.'

That was the straw that broke my back. Slowly, I walked to her, my eyes cold as I saw in the mirror behind that stupid straw beehive of hers. 'Oh, do you think?' I held up my hand. 'Bones of the hand. Carpal bones, a proximal row, scaifoid, distal row, trapezium, metacarpal bone…'

'Well, you read that in a book.'

'Yeah, books for my exams!'

'… I must go.'

Hah, I thought, yeah get lost. But she didn't leave. 'If we find the watch, will it make them go away?'

'Hopefully, yes.'

'Then I will help you find it.' I felt like screaming again. _'No, please don't. Go away.' _She still stared at me. Great. 'Look, since you're the nurse and I'm a pitiful excuse of a human being, why don't you go make sure the boys are looked after?' I said bitterly, showing her how much I resented the comments. She gave me one last glance and left. It was only then that I managed to scream into my hands again. 'GAH! I WANT OUT!'

'_Martha, it will not be long until it is.'_

I paused. I'd told him not to do that… Running from the room, I made for the dark bedroom where Sec was and burst through the door. 'SEC!?' Where there was supposed to be a Dalek in the bed, there was nothing. The watch was gone too.

* * *

John

'John, tell me about Nottingham.' Joan asked me with a small and hopeful smile. She'd caught off guard, she had. 'Sorry?'

'That's where you were brought up, tell me about it.'

'Well, it's on the southern boundary of the river Trent, which flows from Stoke to the Humber.'

'I want more than just facts, John. What about all those secret little hide aways that only a child would know about. Where did you play, who did you play with?'

'How can you believe I'm not real?' I asked her, rather angrily.

'Well…' She paused, shaking slightly. 'Right now I'm not sure of anything.'

'When I kissed you, was that a lie?'

'No…'

'But this Doctor… sounds like some sort of romantic lost prince. Would you rather have that? Am I not enough?'

'No, don't be ridiculous!'

With a smile I embraced her and smiled. 'I have to go. The boys need me.'

'John, wait. Martha may be ridiculous, but I believe one thing she said to me. The boys are only boys, they should not be fighting. John Smith wouldn't want them to fight, never mind the Doctor. He knows it's wrong. Doesn't he?'

From the courtyard, the headmaster called for me. As I walked away from her I grimaced. 'I know it is wrong, but what choice do I have?' On impulse, I ran back to her and kissed her one last time before leaving, knowing that may have been the last time I ever would.

* * *

Sec

I watched as Son and Mother of Mine led the scarecrows into the courtyard. I looked at the watch on my wrist, pushing the falling gun back onto my shoulder. It was quarter past twelve. From my spot in the tree, I searched every window to see if I could see Martha in one of them just as I had when she had been with matron, when I had been able to eavesdrop being so close to the window. Then I saw her and the matron in a lower window, staring out at the scene. '_Martha, get out of the building as quickly as you can, now.'_ I saw her head turn from side to side, trying to spot me.

Lowering myself from the tree as quickly as I could, I ran to the fire that I had started and took two flaming torches from the pile of burning bracken and splintered wood. I saw from where I stood that the headmaster was trying to get a girl to safety. I was horrified when I saw the balloon above the scarecrows head's. 'No…'

'HEADMASTER, NO!' Martha and the matron had run into the courtyard. I cursed under my breath. Why hadn't she gone? 'She's one of them, sir. Don't trust her!'

'I told you to be quiet you insolent creature! You are beneath us and so you will listen to me and do as I say!'

I growled at that comment, but Martha had a comeback of her own. 'No, you listen to me or I'll tear that badger off of your face!' The headmaster touched his moustache worriedly. 'Now, she's part of it, isn't she matron?'

'Yes, she is.'

'She was.' The Doctor spoke out. 'She was with Baines in the village.'

'Mr. Smith.' The headmaster looked arrogant for a man in his position. 'I have seen many a strange sight tonight, but I will be damned if I let an innocent child get hurt.'

As he turned back to Daughter of Mine, she pulled a face. 'You're funny.' Producing one of the families weapons, she shot the headmaster who instantly disintegrated.

'Right, I've had enough!' I called, striding into view behind Mother, Daughter and Son of Mine and their army. They turned to face me. By the school I heard Martha call to me. 'Ah, Dalek. Good evening. Have you got any more crying fits to present us with?'

'No, but I do have these.' I waved the torches in my hands and threw them into the crowd of scarecrows who instantly blew into flames. 'NO!' Son of Mine's cry rang through the air. I slid the gun from my shoulder and held it in my hands, gazing at it tentatively. It was one of the Dalek guns that the Cult and myself had made for the human Daleks. A few of the scarecrows had avoided the flame and headed for me. Without any other thought, I aimed and shot. The scarecrow I hit burst into flame and burned quickly to the ground.

I felt a rush in my veins, an exhilarating rush of superiority. A smile came to my face and I laughed. I walked towards the approaching soldiers, firing and striking them as I did, feeling as I hadn't felt in quite sometime. Now, I felt truly Dalek again.

* * *

Martha

We all ran back into school, chased by the few scarecrows that had escaped the fiery blaze. But now I wasn't terrified of them, it was Sec. The look in his eyes when he fired that gun… he'd enjoyed it. He'd actually enjoyed gunning something down. 'Both of you, go!' The Doctor yelled at me and the matron. She took my hand as the Doctor opened a door and found scarecrows outside. 'Retreat!' Matron followed him as he ran outside but I stayed put. 'Martha?' Matron turned to me. 'I can't.'

'Why not?'

'Sec… he…'

'Yes?' She took my hands in hers. 'Martha, you're shaking.' The Doctor made his way back to us and led us away as the door was thrown off it's hinges. We ran into the woods and hid in the shadows of the bushes. 'Martha, what is it?' Matron asked me again, looking concerned.

'Sec… he…'

'Yes, he helped us escape and I'm sure he's safe.'

'That wasn't Sec back there. That was what he used to be. A killer. Nothing but a killer.'

'Martha?' His voice. I couldn't look at him. The Doctor stood and shook his hand energetically. 'Brilliant. Simply brilliant.' But Sec didn't answer him. Instead he knelt by my side. 'Martha…'

'No.'

'Martha, please, just listen to me.'

'How can I?' I turned to look into his brown eyes. 'Back there, you weren't the Sec I know. You were the loathsome monster who wanted to kill everything and everyone because you thought you were better than them!'

His eyes widened. 'Martha, I…' He couldn't think of anything to say in his defence, I knew he couldn't. Instead, he pulled me into him and I instantly fought back, trying to get out of his arms. I hit and punched his chest and arms as hard as I could to get free, I screamed and shrieked. All of the pent up anger, sadness, depression… everything I'd bottled up over the past several months came pouring out of me. And Sec knew it. I knew he knew it. Too tired to thrash about anymore, I broke into a pitiful mass of tears and held onto his jacket.

'DOCTOR! DOCTOR!' The mocking cry of Father of Mine. I sniffled and held onto Sec's jacket even tighter. Sec rubbed my shoulder as the Doctor and matron gazed through the bush. Eventually, Sec and I did too, still clinging onto each other. 'Oh, now come on…' I gave a defeated sigh as I saw they had the TARDIS. 'Come back, Doctor. Come home! Come and claim your prize!' Father of Mine continued.

'Come along now, Doctor. There's a good boy.' Son of Mine joined in. 'Come to the Family.'

'Time to end it now!' Mother of Mine shouted out.

I turned to the Doctor. 'You recognise that box, don't you?'

'I've never seen it in my life.' He said quickly. Too quickly.

'Do you remember its name?'

'I'm sorry, John.' Matron said. 'But you wrote about it in your journal. The blue box.'

'I'm not… I'm John Smith. That's all I want to be.' He began to move on his spot on the grass restlessly, his voice chocked. 'I just want to be John Smith, with his life, his job and his love.'

'What's scaring you, Doctor?' I asked him, watching to poor man before me have a breakdown as he world, imagined it may be, collapse around him. 'What is it about the truth that's got you so terrified?' He looked at me, his breathing ragged through tears. 'In the town hall. When something distracted them, I heard voices, my own voice, telling me I wasn't this.' He pointed to himself. 'And when I heard that, I felt the most awful loneliness I've ever felt before. I felt alone in the universe, lost and without a home. Do you know how that feels!?'

'Yes.' Was the answer that came from behind me. I turned to find Sec as equally upset. 'I know exactly how it feels, Doctor. Because I, like you, are the last of my kind. But right now, you need to change back to who you really are. We need the Doctor.'

'Well what am I then? Just a story?' He got to his feet and walked away, matron following him and then Sec and I followed too.

* * *

John

Joan had led us to a small and abandoned cottage just outside the village. Sat in the dark, as what could only be described as bombs dropped around the village. Screams filled the air as people lost loved ones and one question flooded my mind as all the disaster blew around us; why did I feel so guilty? Joan lay in my arms, shaking every time there was another blast. Martha and the beastly form of Diagoras sat not too far away, he staring with that one peculiar eye at the floor and Martha gazing at his watch that she had in her hands.

'I must go to them, before anyone else dies.'

'No, don't.' Joan pleaded with me. 'Martha, Seth, there must be something you can do.' She looked at them with begging eyes. 'Not without the watch.' Martha answered.

'WELL YOUR THIS DOCTOR'S COMAPNIONS, DO SOMETHING!' I hollered. 'What exactly do you do for him? Why does he need you?'

'Because he's lonely, just as you said.'

'And that's what you want me to become?'

'And what about, Sec? He's lonely too, but he's had to cope with it even more so since you changed!'

There was a knock on the door. We all looked at each other and then back at the door. 'What if it's them?' Joan asked. 'I'm not an expert, but I don't think scarecrows knock.' Diagoras looked at us and stood, taking his gun in his arms. Martha tried to stop him but he shook his head and left the room. A few moments later he returned with Latimer in tow. 'I brought you this.' The boy said, holding out his hand with my missing fob watch in it. 'Hold it.' Martha told me.

'I won't.'

'Just hold it. Please.'

'It told me to find you. It want's to be held.' Latimer said.

Joan looked at him. 'Why didn't you return it earlier?'

'Because it told me to wait.' The boy answered. 'And I was scared. Of the Doctor.'

'Why?' Martha turned to him with a kindly face.

'Because… I've seen him. And he's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun.'

'Stop it.' I breathed.

'He is ancient and forever, he burns at the centre of time and he can see the turn of the universe.'

'Stop it!' I felt all the eyes in the room on me.

'And, he's wonderful.'

'I've still got this, the journal.' Joan had the journal in her hands and looked at me with some unknown emotion. 'Those are just stories.' I snapped, surprising everyone but myself. 'Now, we know that's not true.' Joan whispered and I saw then, in her eyes, that she believed it all, though she didn't want to.

More bombs and more explosions. I snatched the watch from the boy's hands and moved away to the other side of the room. I heard faint voices in my ears, voices that sounded distant, but so very close… 'Closer… closer… I think he's asleep. Waiting to wake.' _'Come on, little man.'_

'But why did he speak to me?'

'Well, low level telepathic field you were born with. Just a…' I shook. And looked at my company. Both Martha and Seth had smiles on their faces. Joan did not. Had I actually said those things that had come out of my mouth? That had been my voice… but not my tone. Oh, why was everything so confusing!? The thing in my hands had spoken to me twice now. I shook as I held the watch away from myself. 'Is that how he talks?' I asked the Doctor's companions.

'That's him.' Martha breathed with a smile on her face. 'All you have to do is open it and he's back.'

Another explosion. 'You knew this all along.' I cried. The smile disappeared from her face. 'And you just watched whilst nurse Redfern and I…'

'I didn't know how to stop you. He gave me a list of things to look out for but that wasn't included.'

'Falling in love, that didn't even occur to him?'

'No.'

'Well what sort of a man is that?'

* * *

To My Reviewers - Thanks! You're a great bunch! And the individual messages will be up tommorow with the end of the Family of Blood story and the one off Christmas special! 


	23. Always the Doctor

Disclaimer - I own nothing from Doctor Who. The characters, scenarios and items are the sole propery of the BBC unless otherwise stated. I am making no money from this story. Bugger it.

Authors Note - Hiya! Sorry about the long anscence! I had to get home from uni, then I came down with a cold/flu type thing (honestly, I can't tell the difference between them). So, finally. Human Nature/Family of Blood are finished. I can't write my individual messages today like I said I would because it is the night of Christmas Eve and I have to get off and help my parents, but I'll say a big thank you to all you guys right now and I promise I'll cover all the points you raise when I next write you all Thanks again for reading!

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

John

I stared out of the window, running my thumb over the watch in my hand. Martha, Latimer and their alien friend had the left the room to afford Joan and I some privacy. Joan sat nearby, covered in a shawl she had found as it had suddenly cooled now that most of the bodies had left the room. 'Now what?' Her voice was quiet, barely a whisper. 'I don't know.' I answered her plainly. I flinched as another explosion rocked the ground and from the burnt orange sky that mingled with inky darkness above the hill I could tell there was a fire burning on the moors.

I turned to find Joan not looking at me, but at the thing which I contained in my hand. 'John, I'm begging you. Please don't open that confounded watch.'

'But I can stop this. People are dying because of me.'

'No, not because of you. Because of the Doctor.'

'And the Doctor, it seems, is the only man who can stop them.'

Joan's face snapped to mine. 'John…' Slowly, I held out my hand and touched her face, forcing myself to remember every curve, every trace. With one last look at her I put both hands on the watch, my finger on the latch, ready to open the watch and let the Doctor in. 'Wait!' Joan's hands slipped into view and held onto mine. In an instant I saw her, holding my hand in the village church, in a wedding gown. I saw our first moments as a married couple, I saw our children born into the world, our own little house filled with laughter. I saw us both growing older together and finally I saw my death. My normal, respectful death, an old man.

I looked at her and she at me. 'Did you see that?' I asked, quaking at the sight of my future. 'That… that's the future for us if I stay like this! The Doctor showed us.'

But Joan couldn't look at me. She looked at the watch. 'It was wonderful, John. Truly. But…'

'No, Joan. I've seen that I'm wrong! I want to stay!'

'Martha, Seth… They are right. Oh John, can't you see as much as I want you to stay, as much as you want to stay, you can't?'

I stammered and stared at her in disbelief. 'But, I want to stay!' I wasn't ashamed to feel the tears falling down my cheeks as I realised everything I knew and trusted crumbled into dust. _'Tired of the struggle. Tired of everything turning to dust.'_ The watch spoke to me, in the corners of my mind.

Looking around for anything, ANYTHING to distract my thoughts, my eyes (though I tried very hard not to let them) continued to make their way to Joan's own tear filled jewels. 'I just want a normal life, with the woman I love and the life I love. Why is that so difficult!?'

-------- Doctor • Who -------

'Ah, Doctor.' Baines smirked at me as I tentatively made my way through the strange structure these people called a vessel. 'You finally decided to stop the carnage and give us what we want.' I glared at him as his voice grew slower and the syllables became more pronounced. 'Alright, as you wanted, here's the watch.' I held out my trembling hand to them with the watch in my palm. As quick as a flash of lightning it was snatched from my hand and the next I knew I was on the ground, rubbing my head in pain.

I stood and looked at the control panel. 'Ooo, look at this!' I said with a small smile, my backs turned to them. Pressing in a combination, making it look random I turned back to them as they smirked at me. 'Thank you, Mr. Smith. You may die now.' As Jenny the maid took aim on me with one of their weapons, Baines started to open the watch. 'But… I gave you what you wanted! Let me go!'

The watch opened. The Family paused. They looked at me, deadly, confounded stares. And I bust into laughter. 'Empty! All emptied! All safe and sound, back to normal, top notch, topsy-turvey, la, li la, li, laa, laaaaaa!'

'You, Doctor…'

'And it really wasn't wise to let me mess with all those buttons now, was it? Bye!' With a large grin and a nod of my head I was off.

Pelting along the moist grass and mud, I heard the countdown in my head. Bang. Boom. Thrown to the ground, I landed and slid into the legs of Martha and Sec who had been waiting for me. They lifted me to my feet and both laughed. 'Welcome back, Doctor.' I smiled as I spoke. 'Welcome back.'

On the grass by the ship, the Family lay shaking and desperate. The three of us made our way to them, Sec training his gun on them the whole time. 'How did you get to that anyway? I thought I'd locked it up tight.'

'Not every door in the TARDIS is impervious to Dalek brilliance.'

'Obviously I need to tighten security.'

The four of them stared at us in fear. 'Please, Time Lord. Have mercy. We were only trying to survive.' Father of Mine begged, crawling towards me. Sec stuck to barrel of the weapon in his path and the murderous imposter looked up at him in absolute terror. 'Please, spare us! You wiped out the majority of our race as it is!'

'Perhaps extermination is the best thing for your kind anyway.' Sec snarled in return, his eye full of hatred.

'Wait, Sec.' I forced the gun to point to the ground. 'They said they wanted eternal life, then I'll give it to them. But they won't like it…. I know what I'll do…'

I watched their faces turn even more grey. 'Father of Mine, you'll be tied in unbreakable chains formed in a dwarf star and kept, _hidden_, away from the rest of the universe. Your cries for help wil go unheard for the rest of time!' My voice even scared Martha and Sec, who had backed away very quickly. My cruelty terrified and amazed them. 'Mother of Mine, you will be thrown into the event horizon of a collapsing galaxy, trapped forever in what I like to call, a void!' Sec cringed at that word, but right now I couldn't care what memories that conjured for him. 'Daughter of Mine, you will be forced to inhabit the dark recesses of all mirrors everywhere for eternity and I'll visit you once, every year. And you…' Son of Mine stared at me in anger, cold blooded anger. 'Since your trick with the scarecrows was so very clever, I'll immobilise you and put you in one of those bags of straw yourself. Then you will guard one of England's largest fields until the day comes that you crumble away. Like everything else does.'

* * *

Martha

'So, what happened?' I stood with Sec, who was wearing his watch, and the suit he loved so much. The Doctor finally reached us where we waited for him on top of the hill, guarding the TARDIS. 'Well, I asked her if she wanted to come with us, she said no. I said we could still have a chance at a relationship and… she said I wasn't the same man.'

Sec and I looked at each other with pity for him. Poor guy, lonely again. And it was partly my fault. The Doctor kicked the grass and continued. 'She called me a coward, saying I ran from danger while John faced it and gave up something he loved to save people.'

I felt tears welling up in my eyes. The sudden realisation of what I'd done came crashing down on me, but I kept the betraying tears at bay. They had both been innocent victims in this, just like everyone else except Sec, me and the Family.

'Martha.' Sec smiled and nodded past me. I gave him a confused look and turned around to find Tim stood there, with the watch in hand. 'I found this in the field. Thought I should return it.'

'Ah, Tim. You might want to keep that.' The Doctor said quickly, taking Tim's hand and closing it around the little fob watch. 'You've already seen how useful it will be to you.'

'Thank you, sir.' The amazed look on his little face! It made happy.

'So, Timothy, my boy. Are you ready to see something amazing?' The Doctor asked, opening the TARDIS door.

'What is it, sir?'

'You'll see. 'He signalled for Sec and me to get in. I got to my knees and hugged Tim as much as I could without cutting off his air and blood circulation. 'Listen, I'll see you again, Tim. It might not be soon, it might be in forty years time, but I will see you again at least once. I promise.'

'Thank you, Martha.' A small, genuine smile. I ruffled his hair, smiled one last smile and hopped on board the TARDIS which took off as soon as I shut the door. I could imagine the look on Tim's face.

The next time we saw Tim was at a Remembrance Day service. He saw us, old and war worn, forced to live in a wheelchair, whilst the three of us were still as young as the day he last saw us. He smiled as I showed Sec how to pin his Poppy to his jacket and we saluted him and all those that had fought and fallen in war.

That night we met Tim and he told us what had happened after we left. Joan Redfern found a husband in local post master, Geoffrey Tomas, and the scarecrow attack was covered up by the board of governors as a hoax attack to toughen the boys up. All in all, the same as what humans do, naturally. It is in our human nature to carry on regardless and cover up the truth if we think it would cause too much controversy. Same old, same new.

* * *

To My Reviewers - You're a great bunch o' folks! Thanks for all the support so far. It's much appreciated! 


	24. Special O Christmas Tree?

Disclaimer - I own nothing from Doctor Who. The characters, scenarios and items are the sole propery of the BBC unless otherwise stated. I am making no money from this story. Bugger it.

Author's Note - So, the time for Festive cheer is here and now. Like I said last chapter, I'm in a tad of a rush, so I'm sorry but no individual speeches. Sorry. But instead have some random, silly little Christmas tale from the TARDIS instead. Hope you like, and most important of all... **MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY 2008!!**

* * *

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

The Doctor

'Martha, I'm not quite sure why we are doing this…'

'Because it's fun and makes it look good! Now, you need to put that over there…'

'Here?'

'No, a little higher.'

'There?'

'Sec!' Martha giggled. I turned to find that the tinsel that my comrades had been hanging on the walls of the console room had fallen atop him. Sec looked as confused as he could possibly be. I smiled and turned back to spraying fake snow on the windows of the door. 'There!' I said, lifting my mask from my face that I'd used to avoid the fumes. 'All snowy and wonderful!'

'You know, Doctor.' Martha smiled as Sec lifted the tinsel off himself. 'We need music to do this to.'

'Brilliant idea!' I exclaimed, running over to the console and filling the entire TARDIS with the sound of Christmas carols and songs. 'So… we have food to make, presents to buy, in the space of a week.' I said, grinning wildly. Martha grinned too and Sec continued to be flummoxed by the glittery red and green stuff in his hands.

Martha and I had both decided that Sec needed a nice little holiday after his experiences with the Family and after we had sat together alone one evening, planning what to do, it occurred to us that he had never had a Christmas before. So, a plan was born.

As Doris Day's melodic voice floated through the air, singing "I'll be home for Christmas", Martha explained what tinsel did and showed him how to stick it to the walls. I on the other hand decided to check on the Mince Pies I'd made earlier that morning. 'Er, Doctor. You better not eat them all.' Martha caught me, smiling. Damn. She knew. 'I'll only have one. To check if they taste alright.'

'Yeah, okay.'

'Really!'

'I believe you, thousands wouldn't.' Now Sec looked really confused. 'What does that mean?'

'It doesn't matter, Sec.'

'But…'

'Let's just finish this so we can go onto the next room.'

With a roll of my eyes I left and soon found myself in the kitchen. The smell of brandy and fruit wafted up my nose and I felt my tongue scream at me. Pulling the trays from the oven, I picked out the most tasty (and biggest) pie and stuffed it in my mouth. 'Mmmmm…' Boy, that tasted good. Quickly putting the other pies in a festive tin, I stole one more and ate it with impunity before leaving and heading back to the console room.

It was filled with boxes of unused tinsel, but the walls were draped in glittery garlands, pieces of holly, various baubles and signs exclaiming "Merry Christmas" to me in bright colours. Sec and Martha were stood back, admiring their handiwork. Sec looked most pleased with himself. Whether this was because of his decorative skills, or the fact that he was holding Martha's hand was anyone's guess. Personally, I'm going with the latter.

'How many have you eaten? You were gone ages!' Martha asked, cocking her head. I shrugged. 'Didn't know I'd been gone that long.' Pulling a length of purple tinsel from the nearest box and wrapping it around my neck, I made myself a sparkly party scarf and danced around the room to Wizzard rocking on the speakers. Martha, who had been teaching Sec how to dance, tugged him into action and they slow danced when Il Divo took over with their festive carol. I stopped dancing and instead added a few baubles of my own choice to the collection scattered across the room, favouring anything with a nice green tint to it. Having a quick check over my shoulder I found them now dancing almost cheek to cheek. I knew how large my smile must have been as I turned back to my bauble placing duties. 'About bloody time.' I whispered to myself.

'Glad you approve, Doctor.' I could hear the smile in Sec's voice. He'd obviously misunderstood what I'd said though. He thought I meant his dancing had improved. Damn.

----------- Doctor • Who -----------

With only the living room left to decorate, the three of us collapsed in front of the fire, surrounded by boxes of even more tinsel, baubles, fairy lights, banners and a tree. I tried to prove a bauble was the ultimate fashion accessory by hanging one from the end of my nose, but it kept falling off. Sec had followed my example, curling his stubby little tentacles and hanging decorations from them. Martha found this extremely sweet. I thought it was extremely funny, but because I was sat within her foots reach I struggled to contain my laughter behind a cook book.

'Hey, wait a rel.' Martha said. Rel? I lifted my now tinsel wrapped head above my book, eyebrow raised, as she looked between us both. 'Sec, you are the ultimate handyman, do you know that?'

'I am?' He looked a little shocked.

'Yeah! I mean, we won't have to keep going back to the box if you hang baubles off your tentacles like that. That way, the tree should be a snap!'

I gave her a bemused smile and then looked at Sec who returned my gaze, but with a worried eye. Poor guy. He was like her husband or something. 'Let's just relax for a couple of hours.' I said, lying back in my chair, taking my cup of tea from the table next to me. 'Fine…' Martha sighed, gazing longingly at the large box that contained the tree. 'Why is it fake though?'

'You haven't seen all 500 attempts at having a real tree in here, have you?' I asked her, grimacing at the memories. The one when it had caused K-9 no end of trouble sprang to mind. I shuddered at the memory of Romana and I trying to get prickly pine needles out of his circuits. That had been a wonderful Christmas Eve.

After tea and biscuits, Martha gave a delighted squeal as I made my way to the CD player and put "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" on. She nearly dived into the box with the tree. 'Thought you'd be happy.' I smiled, watching as she pulled the bottom half of the tree out and placing it on the floor. Sec stood and took out another piece of the tree, looking confused, but helped put the pieces together regardless whilst I sat on the floor picking tinsel. I found a nice array of colours and, after the tree was assembled, wrapped the tinsel around and around and around and around…

'Doctor, you'll make yourself dizzy.' Sec pointed out, as Martha hung baubles off of him.

I did make myself dizzy, but I didn't really care. The tree was looking colourful. Next? The baubles.

* * *

Sec

I stood back to admire the finished tree and found that I found that such a trivial task had made me feel happy. Martha and the Doctor were throwing the… tinsel… at each other, laughing and screaming as they chased each other around the room. With a smile, I sat in the nearest chair and watched as Martha threw a purple strand at the Doctor, who laughed. But then he tripped over another garland of tinsel , screamed and fell on top of the tree. In a mass of plastic needles, baubles, lights and tinsel, the tree that had only lived for five minutes was on the floor.

The Doctor looked at us both nervously. 'Er… heh, heh. I have an idea.'

----------- Doctor • Who -----------

'There, all done!'

'Doctor, I really don't think that is the spirit of the season. I know very little about…'

'Oh, stop being a worry wart, mate! It might not be a tree, but it is festive looking!'

Martha only giggled as she put the last bauble on the new "tree". 'Let's just hope the eye stalk thingy doesn't move.'

'Tell me, Doctor.' I asked tentatively. 'Why did you store that as well as a human Dalek weapon?'

'Well, you never know when any sort of technology could come in handy!'

'But my old battle armour as a tree!?'

'Well, would you prefer the empty Cyberman suit?'

'Not really.'

'There you go then.'

I tipped my head slightly in the hopes of gaining some sort of flash of Christmas inspiration from my decorated shell, but shook my head, sighed and walked away. 'Now then, what about pressies then, Doc?' Martha asked, jumping in the seat next to him. 'Can we trust you not to sit on them?'

'Oh, I think you can, my dear Martha. I think you can.'

* * *

**MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! **Love, Mongy. X 


	25. Angelic Assassins

**Disclaimer - **I DO NOT, read it... DO NOT own Doctor Who, nor do I partake in any of the making of (damn it all!!). I do not own any of the characters, locations, basic story lines or items unless I state so myself... even then, the charaters would probably suck :p .

**Author's Note -** 'Ello, 'ello, 'ello! How are you all? Hope you had a really great Christmas (or a lovely holiday if you don't celebrate it). And may I just say a very happy 2008 to you all! Sorry it took so long for me to get this to you folks. I got really lazy over the holidays, and when I got back to the good ship Staffordshire University there was a shedload of stuff to do :X . Really not fun, this semester two malarky...

But anyway, just something I feel I need to point out to you about the Christmas chapter... the Doctor probably wouldn't have eaten mince pies after all... :/ . Turns out, as I was reading my lovely Doctor Who magazine, that the wonderful Mr. Tennant doesn't like them. Not that there's anything wrong with that... Oh, just admit it, Mongy. David, if you are somehow reading this, then I have only one thing to say... SHAME ON YOU, MAN!! Mince pies are the gorgeous-ness! Oh well, never mind. Still love you anyway :) ... even if you are lacking in Christmas taste XD .

But enough of me babbling away to myself. On with the show!!!

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE 

Martha

'It's a little breezy, isn't it?' I asked, hopping over the root of a tree. The human Sec shrugged next to me, his attention drawn to the wrought iron gates ahead of us. 'What's this place called anyway?' I continued. 'And why are we here? It's not like the building's going to come alive and eat people.'

'The Doctor said we needed to go ahead and check.'

'Well, it's not the first time the TARDIS has said there's been something hostile when there hasn't been. Remember the Buck House incident?'

'Don't remind me.' Sec moaned, rubbing his eyes. 'I'm surprised your Queen didn't die of shock at the sight of what we did to the dinning area.'

'Yeah, it was a tad extreme for a little bit of spilt sugar. I swear that thing's going screwy. It was after Christmas, I'm telling you! I knew the Doctor drunkenly feeding it a mince pie wasn't going to go down well.' I saw a small smirk had grown on his face.

I held onto the gates and looked beyond, through the almost leafless trees, through the crisp golden pool beneath, to an old crumbling house. 'Oh, wow. That looks exactly like the house that Scooby Doo investigated yesterday. Oh, no! The Phantom's going to come and get us all. NOOOOOOO!' My sarcasm rang around the empty drive behind us. Sec's chesty laughter soon followed. 'Come on, let's get this over with.' I scaled the gate, looking over the top as I did. Funny, I hadn't noticed how high it was before. Placing my foot so I avoided the spikes at the top, I let myself fall, however gracefully a falling human can, and hit the fallen leaves with a soft crunch. I turned to find Sec making his own way over the gate and I shuffled across the ground to let him drop onto the soft area of leaves too. He looked at me, nodded his hat wearing head and extended his hand. I took it and was instantly pulled from the ground.

Shuffling our way through an autumn's worth of dead leaves, creeping ever closer to what was quickly becoming obvious to be the most unwelcoming building I have ever seen in my life, I began to feel a little more than worried. A small token of the past that had been left discarded didn't help. 'Look!' I jogged over to the shadow of a gnarled old tree and knelt down to find a ragged old dolly, the colour from her dress worn away. I felt Sec examining it over my shoulder. 'Okay. Maybe I was a little wrong…'

'Martha, there is no such thing as ghosts.'

'You believe what you like, but for me I'm sticking with the spooks theory.'

I heard him tut and walk away. Keeping a tight hold of the doll I followed, creeping ever closer. I knew I was being silly… but then again, who's to say that Scooby Doo was a complete fantasy? After all, I'd seen distant planets and stars.

I shook that thought from my head. It didn't help my overactive imagination.

'BOOOOOOOO!' Something took my shoulders and I screamed, whirling around to find the Doctor in a fit of laughter pains. Catching my breath I turned to look at Sec who stopped his own laughter as I did. 'Very funny.' I said, turning back to the Doctor who was hooting in joy. 'Can we please just get on with this..?' I noticed a small folder in his arms, almost bulging with papers. The same folder he'd brought with him everywhere since the day that girl gave it to him. 'What's that for?'

'Never you mind.' He said with a smirk, his laughter stopping slowly.

'Whatever.' I marched, doll still in hand, past Sec and towards the building, determined to make up for that outburst of fear. No, ghosts weren't real… but manic, prankster Doctors were. I swear if I looked up "poltergeist" in the dictionary, his face would be there.

'Now, Martha. Don't let the big, bad bogeyman get you!' The Doctor's taunting voice floated through my ears as I reached the door and put my hand on the handle. I paused, pulled an annoyed face and slammed the door open with my shoulder. It wasn't that hard: the hinges were old and time worn. 'Hey, Doctor! These hinges remind me a bit of you…'

'Oh shut it.'

I laughed an inward laugh.

* * *

The Doctor

That was a bit harsh. But I couldn't help laughing at Martha's wit. I raised my eyebrows to Sec who only smiled and passed me as I closed the door behind us. I had to say, this house must have been extremely homely and warm at one point. But now it was just a ruin – an un-kept memorial to its former self. _'Shame. Such a nice house.' _I thought, running my hand along the dusty banister as I walked into the living room, Martha and Sec making their way upstairs. My fingers were caked in thick dust. Blowing my hand I looked out of the broken window to the overgrown garden. There was a statue of a crying angel outside.

My hand clenched the folder tight. The notes inside… They told of something. 'Weeping Angels…' I breathed, backing away as quickly but as carefully as I could. My heel snubbed a raised floorboard. I howled in pain and looked to the floor. 'No!' I breathed looking back to the garden. It moved. It had moved! It was looking at me and I at it. Without taking my eyes from the angel, and blinking one eye at a time, I dug into my pocket for a piece of charcoal and moved to the wall. I pulled the wallpaper aside and scrawled out my message to the girl who had given me the folder I held in my arm. As I finished that, backing towards the door and glaring at the unmoving statue I ran from the room as soon as I reached the door and up the stairs. 'MARTHA! SEC! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!!!' I found them in the centre of a group of them. Those assassins. They looked at me, Martha with her new found doll and Sec with his key to the TARDIS in his hand. 'Get away from those things. They're dangerous!'

'They're just statues, Doc…'

'Oh… Oh ho ho, no they aren't! Now get away from them!' I said all this very fast and without taking my eyes off of the statues. I wanted to blink. I needed to blink. But I couldn't. Sec and Martha arrived at my side and I took hold of their hands. 'Whatever you do, don't take your eyes off of them. Don't blink.'

'What?' Martha asked, looking at me. 'How are we not supposed to blink!?'

'Martha, just do it.'

'Why?'

I turned to her. 'Just don't…!'

Blackness. Cold, deep darkness. Then light, noises. Noises of cars, of feet. Seventies music was playing from a shop that was coming into sight, fading in from the darkness. 'Doctor…? Where are we?' Came a worried voice. Martha and Sec were both pale faced and shaking. I stood in the realisation that my own mistake had led to us being here, in seventies London, without the TARDIS, without hope, money, a place to live. I looked at Sec, who had dropped his TARDIS key. I knew where it was. It was back at that haunted house. They had it. 'Doctor!?' Martha took hold of my coat, the doll's neck strangled in her fist. 'Where are we? How did we get here!?'

'The Angels… They sent us here. The silent assassins.'

'What? Why?' Sec demanded, finally looking at me.

I gave a grave and sarcastic smirk. 'Simple. The Angels want the blue box.'

* * *

To My Reviewers -

You're a lovely bunch! Thanks so much for the help and support so far. 'Tis mucho appreciated!!!


	26. TimeyWimey What?

Disclaimer - I do NOT own Doctor Who, nor do I have any part in making it. The characters, locations and items in this story all belpng to the good people at BBC Wales unless otherwise stated by me. In this case, the character named Katie belongs to a friend of mine, so I don't own her either. Lol. I am not making any money from this story, and I'm writing it only because I like to entertain fellow Whovians. Plus, Sec should have lived, dammit!

Author's Note - Oooooo! Here we are folks, a couple more days left until Series Four begins! Can I get a whoop whoop!? ((Claps for the BBC)) We love you guys! Well, sorry about the lateness of this. I'm in my assignment period at uni, and have much work to do. But and me and my mate getting lost in London trying to find the London Studios spurred me on to write again, even though I've written so much lately I could actually cry in frustration. I hope everyone had a great Easter holidays, too! I know I did ; Haha!

Enjoy!

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

The Doctor

We sat huddled in an old, crumbling and generally draughty warehouse, pondering. Pondering over what to do, where to go, while we waited. Yes, while we waited and prayed that that girl, that Sally Sparrow, the girl of the future, would follow all the clues that she entrusted to me. I shivered as yet another slight gust of wind whipped at my jacket. Martha and Sec had found an old moth eaten sheet, but they were sharing body heat under that thing as well, so they were all right. I didn't feel guilty. Well, I did actually. Guilty that I'd turned my head, just for that split second. I should have told them before what I had in the folder that I still had clutched in my arms, then they would have understood why we were in so much danger. But no… stupid here didn't plan that far ahead. Clever Doctor.

'Is anyone else hungry besides me?' Martha asked from under the sheet. She'd ducked her head beneath it because of the cold. 'A bit peckish, yeah.' I answered. 'Me too.' Sec shivered, adjusting his watch a little. 'Well, I have some money…' Her head suddenly appeared from the tatty old thing and she pulled out a five pound note from her pocket and showed it to me. 'Enough in this day and age?' I smiled at her. 'Don't waste it. Here…' I passed her the psychic paper. 'Get us some free fish and chips.' She smiled and nodded, jogging from the building and out through a doorpost that had no actual door in it.

Sec took the advantage of having the sheet to himself and pulled the whole thing around himself. 'You okay?' I asked him. My only answer was a quick nod of his head. 'Look, it'll be fine. We've gotten out of worse scrapes.' He looked at me then and smiled. 'I know.'

'Well there you go then!' I jumped to my feet with a flourish. 'Nothing to worry about. Now…' I opened the folder and had a look for the transcript that we would have to hide away on some of Sally's favourite DVDs. 'There's a name here. Billy Shipton. He's the guy we have to find to help us out. Where we find him is a different kettle of fish. Unless…'

* * *

Martha

I stood in the queue for the chippies, freezing my socks off. _'Just think of the nice, warm food you'll get at the end of this.' _I kept telling myself, looking in through the window of the shop at the fish fillets covered in what looked like week old batter, but I couldn't have cared less about that right now. I had a look around at my new surroundings. It had to be said that seventies London wasn't great. It looked like the parts of London that existed now, the parts that you wouldn't like to be on your own. I should know, I'd walked through those parts enough times then could be considered mentally healthy. These parts of London didn't have the lights and glitz of the more centralised area.

Bobbing up and down on the spot as the queue shuffled slowly forward, me eyeing up those who walked past with their food already with evil eyes, I started to feel a little more than desperate. One guy walked out with three food parcels and I jumped out of the queue and stopped him, holding up the psychic paper. 'Sorry, I'm with the Food Standards Agency, and I have to take these to examine. Sorry.' I took them from him and quickly left the scene. Not quite what the Doctor had had in mind, but I wasn't going to wait in that line much longer, not when there was a matter of universal urgency to attend to. Back at a crumbling old warehouse. Oh the joys.

I practically ran back as it started to rain, avoiding the heaviest stuff just as I got back inside, out of breath. Both of them were huddled over something. There were tinkling sounds, the screwdriver whirring away, and their muttering voices, speaking scientific lingo that I didn't understand. 'Food!!' 

I called as I closed in on them. The Doctor turned to me with a large grin on his face. 'CHIPS! I LOVE CHIPS!'

'Yeah, I know you do.' I sat down next to them and handed them a parcel each. 'So, what's this then?' I pointed at a heap of junk on the floor. The Doctor opened his wrap of newspaper and found a fishcake and some chips. 'Ooooh, fishcake! How'd you know?'

'I, er… I just guessed that you'd like it.' I had my fingers crossed behind my back as I said it. 'But come on, what's this?'

'This…' The Doctor said, trying to finish a bite of cake. 'Is my Timey-Wimey Detector.' I paused. 'What?'

'Timey-Wimey Detector!'

I looked at Sec who waved his hands in defeat. 'Oh, right. Course it is…'

'It'll help us track down other people who get sent back in time by the Angels.'

'Like that guy on your notes?'

'Oh yes!'

I squealed and hugged him. 'Home! We can go home!'

'Well, not just yet, but we'll get there. Eventually.'

I didn't like the sound of that.

* * *

Sec

Months had passed us by here, in what the Doctor called this "groovy time of history". I didn't think it was particularly "groovy" in any shape or form. I went for a more "gloomy" perspective. This didn't bring both Martha and the Doctor's moods down though. He was on a constant look about with his new plaything, the Timey-Wimey Detector, and Martha had gotten a small job to help fund for a small flat for us and also to pay for food (she admitted to me afterwards how she had procured our first seventies meal).

I walked down the street towards her place of work, looking at my watch. Nearly five o' clock. She stood on the corner ahead of me, outside the pub where she worked. Stood with her was another barmaid known as Katie. The two of them got on well together and right now they were laughing about something. Their boss, by the sounds of things. 'Seth!' Martha saw me, and threw her arms around me. 'You okay?'

'Yeah, fine. Hello Katie.'

'Hello, Seth. Where's John?' John. We'd taken to using his "human" name again, just in case.

'Busy. As usual.'

'Bless him. Listen…' She paused, thinking over what she should say next. 'You guys couldn't put a word in with him for me, could you? I rather like him.'

Martha smiled. 'John's not that big on relationships, mate.'

'At least drop the hint? Oh, please, Martha!'

'Okay, I will. I'll keep dropping subtle hints.'

We waved goodbye to Katie as she carried on down the road to her flat and we on the way to ours. 'Seriously though, are you okay?' Martha asked me, concern filling her eyes. 'Yes, I'm fine. Why?'

'You've been quiet lately. Well, quieter than usual.'

'It's… I just feel like something's watching us.'

'The Angels?'

'No, not them. Something else.' We rounded a corner. 'I can't explain it. Just… there's something monitoring us, as though it's trying to gauge our next move.'

'Sounds like paranoia to me.' Martha said with a smile.

We walked up to the door that would lead us to our temporary home when the Doctor came bursting through the door with the detector in his hands. 'I've found him! Come on, hurry up!' He darted past us and with a single look between us, Martha and I followed, struggling to keep up to his pace.

* * *

**To My Reviewers** - I've actually forgotten all the comments you made about the last chapter... ((nervous laughter)). But thanks for them anyways! You're a great bunch of lovely people! And thanks so much for coping with my sever lack of writey-writing.


	27. Billy

**Disclaimer** - I do NOT own Doctor Who, nor do I have any part in making it. The characters, locations and items in this story all belpng to the good people at BBC Wales unless otherwise stated by me. I am not making any money from this story, and I'm writing it only because I like to entertain fellow Whovians. Plus, Sec should have lived, dammit!

**Author's Note** - Hey all! I'm reaaaaaally sorry that it's taken me months to upload this one measly chapter. My only excuse is I've been at work and I'm getting ready to go back to uni... Not much of an excuse, but that's it. Sorry. I understand if most of you wan't to throw old fruit at me - I'd want to too.

Anyways, here's chapter twenty-seven! Sorry if it seems rushed. Hope you like.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The Doctor

We ran through the rain and the ever so slight wind, to a dank and dismal car park, conveniently not too far away from our average little London Land flat. Martha and Sec were close on my heels as we ran deeper into the park and then out again and onto a side street, towards a weak looking man who had clearly not enjoyed the experience of time travel. I slowed and called to him. 'Welcome!' His eyes met mine, as the detector in my hands pinged excitedly, having done its job properly. 'Where am I?' He asked, disorientated and confused. Couldn't say I blamed him for being so. Time travel without a form of protection isn't the most tickling experience ever. '1969.' I answered, 'Not bad I suppose. You've got the moon landing to look forward to.'

'Oh, the moon landing's brilliant! We went four times!' Martha smiled at him encouragingly. 'Well… back when we had transport…' She turned to me with a dull look in her eyes.

'Working on it.' I sounded exasperated. Well, she had been moaning about it since we got here. Sec had been a lot more quiet. Which was odd. Very odd.

Billy looked at all three of us expectantly, wanting an answer as we completely ignored him and chit chattered away to ourselves. He spoke out though, much to his credit. 'How did I get here?'

'The same way we did.' I sat down next to him. 'Touch of an angel. Luckily you ended up in the same year as us. No, don't get up! Right…' The look in his eyes told me everything. 'Time travel without a capsule… just get your strength back and don't go swimming for an hour.'

'Doctor, I don't think he needs health and safety advice.' Sec said, looking at the perplexed look etched all over Billy's face. He stammered to himself, trying to register everything. I interrupted, trying to make it clearer for him. 'Fascinating race, the angels. The only psychopaths in the world to kill you nicely.' He looked away from me, muttering something about how insane the three of us were. I continued. 'No mess, no fuss. They just zap you into the past and let you live out the rest of your life.' He looked back at me. 'The rest of your life used up and gone in the blink of an eye.' My comrades shuffled awkwardly as I finished. 'And he means that literally.' Martha said. 'One blink and… woosh! Out of the modern world.'

'Yeah. And then they consume up all the energy of the days you might have had.' Sec explained.

'Couldn't have said it better myself.' I smiled.

'Thanks.'

'Wait, what?' Billy looked at us, taking it all in. Remarkably well I might add too.

'They're creatures of the abstract. They live off potential energy.'

'Potential what?'

Martha patted him on the shoulder. 'Trust me, when he stops for breath, just nod.'

Billy looked at all three of us in turn. 'But how did you find me?' I smiled, lifting up my detector with a flourish. 'With this! This is my Timey-Wimey detector. Goes 'ding' when there's stuff. Also, it can boil an egg at thirty paces, whether you want it to or not actually…' I looked at it a bit awkwardly, knowing that as good as it was, it still wasn't perfect. Stupid biscuit tin construction. 'So you have to stay away from hen's. It's not pretty when they blow.'

He shook his head, obviously trying hard to delete that unnecessary image form his mind. I looked at Martha and Sec. Martha gave me that look which she gave me every time she wanted to say 'didn't need to know that' and couldn't and Sec grimaced at what I think was the memory of the last time we went near a chicken. 'Well,' Billy started. 'Where am I?'

'1969, like he says.' Martha said.

'No, I mean… _where_?'

'London.'

I tapped him on the shoulder. 'Normally I'd offer you a lift home, but somebody's stolen my motor. That's why I need you to pass on a message to Sally Sparrow.' He looked downtrodden. 'And I'm sorry, Billy. I'm very, very sorry… it's going to take you a while.'

* * *

Martha

I watched as both the Doctor and Sec took Billy through the plan and I sat listening to the cars outside. We were sat in the living room of our tiny flat, the three men sat on the couch and me sat on the window sill, gazing outside and ignoring on the conversation behind me. I knew the plan, and I have to say I didn't like the idea – it was exceptionally cruel to Billy – but what other choice did we have?

'So…' I heard the Doctor exclaim loudly, his pot of tea clinking on the table. 'Are you sure you're alright with this?'

'No.' Billy forced a laugh. 'Not really, but there isn't really another way, is there?'

I watched the Doctor's face fall. He was genuinely sorry that Billy had to do this. 'I'm so sorry.' He whispered. Billy looked at the floor. 'I'd just asked Sally out on a date too. Now I have to live out my life in a certain way just so I can see her again.'

'I know, and I'm sorry.'

Sec handed Billy some papers and gave him an encouraging smile. 'It isn't all planned out for you, just the DVDs and Sally are. The rest is up to you.'

'Hey, thanks.' He pocketed the list of DVDs and the video of the hidden Easter Eggs that we had filmed specially for Sally. 'So, these DVDs are her only ones?'

'Yep.' I smiled. 'Strange, to have so little of them… I have hundreds!'

'Yeah me too.' He finally smiled a genuine smile. 'But thanks for coming to find me – I probably would have curled up in the gutter and died if you hadn't explained it to me.'

'He found you.' I pointed at the Doctor, who tilted his head to one side and looked very pleased with himself. 'Well, one mustn't blow one's own trumpet…'

Billy stood and made his own way to the door. He had just held onto the handle when he stopped and looked back at us. 'But how'd you guys know what she'd say? You like those guys out of "Back to the Future" or something?'

'You could say that.' I smiled, trying not to laugh at Sec's obvious confusion.

'Always liked that film – the first one, not the sequels.' The Doctor said, staring into space.

Billy shook his head. 'Will I ever see you guys again?' We all silently stared at him. He got the message, nodded one more time and left quickly. That was the last we ever saw of Billy Shipton.

The Doctor turned to us and shrugged. 'Now it's a waiting game.' I moved and sat next to Sec, drinking away at the cup that had been left for me - the tea was nearly cold and tasted disgusting, but I was as parched as a cactus and would have drunk anything at that moment in time. 'How long do we have to wait?' Sec asked. The Doctor shrugged again but put on a hopeful face. 'Maybe a matter of days, but no more than another three weeks if everything goes to plan.'

'I don't like the sound of that.'

'Don't be silly my hybrid friend! I know the human race and I know that they always stare their problems in the face and on't give up until the big bad problem has gone away.' The Doctor winked at me. 'The moon Martha...'

I smiled back. 'The first of four times.'

'If that didn't prove that the human race will stand up to anything in the face of adversity then I don't know what will.'


	28. Cardiff

**DISCLAIMER - **Doctor Who is the property of the BBC, those who work on and create it, and as such I own nothing from it. If I do own something then I made it up myself and will state it here. I am making no money from this fanfiction - I'm writing it soley for the purposes of entertainment.

**Author's Note -** Hello all! I'm really, really, really sorry that it has taken what seems like a lifetime to upload this chapter. I've been busy with university and trying to balance that with socialising and food shopping so that I don't become a hermit. Again, I'm really sorry and I'm also sorry that this chapter is so short. But the next chapter will be longer even though it may (no, WILL) take a while to be written and posted.

So again I appologise, but I haven't given up on this at all! I will have it finished before our beloved Tenth Doctor kicks off his Converse and retires, letting Eleven come in and do some space hopping.

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Sec

'_Now it's a waiting game.'_ They were his words. Well chosen, but also untrue. For the next day, as the three of us sat in the living room, the TARDIS found him. It had been tens of years and it knew where to find him back here in the past. Remarkable. This whole event was not long enough for a game.

'Will Sally and the others be alright?' Martha had asked as she sat on the railings surrounding the TARDIS console. The Doctor, who was too busy talking to the TARDIS, merely nodded in reply. I ran my hands over the railings as I moved to stand next to Martha and gave her a smile. 'Finally.' I said.

'Finally.' She smiled back, pulling me into an embrace. I for one didn't mind this at all. After I'd pulled away from her I slid the watch off of my wrist and what used to be a sharp pain faded into a dull ache as my body took on its true form.

The Doctor, now stroking the console with a large grin on his face, muttered that the ship needed re-fuelling. 'It has been well over thirty years. Can you be surprised that she's feeling so run down?' He had asked us as he piloted us away from an old London to the place where he knew there was fuel. I was curious as to where he found such immense power to keep the engines running, and so kept quiet, watching his every move and action at the console. 'We'll just sit on the rift for a while and let her soak up some tasty power.' He grinned, leaning against the console with an ecstatic face. Martha leaped off of the rails and asked where it was that we had stopped and the Doctor replied brightly…

'Cardiff!'

'CARDIFF!?' She looked perplexed. I only tried to remember why it sounded familiar.

'Ah! But the thing about Cardiff is that it is built on a riff in time and space. It's like California with the San Andreas Fault. But this one bleeds energy, so every now and then I just open up the engines, soak up the energy and use it as fuel.'

Martha rolled her eyes. 'Thief.' The Doctor only smiled mischievously at her. 'Yeah, but…' She continued, 'So it's a pit stop?'

'Exactly. Should only take twenty seconds…' The noises that the TARDIS normally created changed, I noticed. Now they were a humming, hollow noise as opposed to the usual rhythmic beat that came from deep within the heart of the ship.

'Hang on…' Martha positioned herself next to the Doctor and rested a her hands on her hips. 'There was an earthquake in Cardiff a couple of years ago. Was that you?' He looked a little shocked and slightly apprehensive. 'Yeah, a little trouble with a Slitheen.'

'Hah!' I snorted. The Slitheen? Useless creatures. Useless, disgusting creatures.

'Yeah, he knows what I'm talking about. But that was ages ago. A lifetime almost. I was a different man back then.'

I picked up on the subtle hint that he left in that sentence for me and me alone. He had regenerated since then, and much time had passed by him as well.

Then I heard it. A scream from the outside world. A scream that called out for one man and one man alone. 'Doctor…' I breathed.

'What Sec? What is it? Ooh, hang on. All powered up!'

'Did you not hear that?'

'Hear what…?' His voice trailed as he saw the computer screen. 'Anyway, off we go!'

With a swift movement, the ship shook. I clung to the console, and watched the Doctor closely through my narrowed eye. 'What was on that screen, Doctor?' He looked at me, trying to hide surprise and confusion from his face. 'Nothing. There was nothing there.' I didn't believe him, and as we travelled through the vortex I could have sworn I heard the same voice, still calling out for the Doctor.

An explosion quickly brought me back to reality when all three of us were thrown to the floor. The Doctor was naturally the first to reach the console and he monitored the ship's status as closely as he could. 'What's that?' Martha breathed as the three us crowded around the screen. My breath caught in my throat when I saw it. The Doctor too was concerned, as he had frozen to the spot. 'We're accelerating. The year one million. Five billion…'

'It won't stop.' My breath was less than a whisper, but still heard by my companions.

'What? The year one hundred trillion, but that's impossible!'

'Why?' Martha demanded. 'What happens then!?' He stood, rocking against the shaking ship, searching for the answer and not finding one. I wish he hadn't said what he had, and had instead lied. For Daleks had feared this moment for their entire existence. And now I, the last of my species, was about to face it.

The Doctor's face turned grey. 'We're going to the end of the universe.'

As soon as it had started the ship came to stand still. The Doctor straightened, looking uncertain at the now darkened interior of the TARDIS. 'So,' Martha breathed. 'What's out there?'

'I don't know.'

'Say that again; that's rare.' The panic in her voice was obvious.

'Martha,' I gazed at her from across the console. 'Not even the Time Lords came this far.'

The Doctor stared at the door that led into the unknown universe beyond, not his usual confident, calm and witty self. 'We should go. We should really, really get out of here.' Martha and I simply stared at one another, taken back by the Doctor's words. It wasn't like him to want to leave, not without looking around first. But, quicker than a flash, he ran past us, grabbed his coat and launched himself out of the door. 'I knew he wouldn't be able to resist.' Martha followed him with a grin. I however felt that there was something very, very wrong with this whole situation and wished that the Doctor hadn't changed his mind as quickly as he did. They were both outside now, and from what I saw through the door, it was a barren wasteland. So dark. So cold. Hesitantly I followed them, out into the dark terrain, where everywhere I looked had turned to dust.

But as soon as I had left the TARDIS, I knew for certain that something terrible would result of this. And Martha only confirmed my fears when she found a man lying on the ground, lifeless as could possibly be. Then I knew why Cardiff had seemed so familiar.

* * *

NEXT TIME, ON TEAM WHO - Jack's back! And he's as flirtatious as ever. Just think about it, a whole chapter from the mouth of the good captain himself. Ee-gads, it'll be a long one...


	29. AN UPDATE

Hi, everybody!

I'm sorry that this isn't a story update, but I just wanted to let you all know that I am still continuing this story, but I'm two months close to finishing my degree so I need to focus on that. I know I haven't update in a loooooooooooong time, and I would blame uni, but the truth is I should have set some time aside to write a bit so I can only blame myself.

Sorry if this post got your hopes up, but fear not you will get another update in about two months time, maybe sooner, most likely later (but you didn't hear that bit ((whistles innocently)) ).

Thank you for reading, and for sticking by even though I'm highly negligent. I really appreciate it :) .

XxX

P.S. To my deviantArt pals, sorry I haven't been on there for a while either. It seems Norton security thinks every picture is actually a virus and refuses me access. I need to find a computer where I can actually get on it.


	30. Update

A Long Awaited Update

Sorry, sorry, sorry about the long absence. Unfortunately, I have the feeling that many people may not like this update.

Sadly I will not be continuing Team Who. Instead I plan to write new Who fiction with a future Doctor that has yet to be seen. I'm doing this so that I can make my Who stories my own, and so that I won't be tied to criteria set out by a certain Doctor's behaviour or past storylines. However, should anybody wish to continue with Team Who then I am more than happy to allow it. Just let me know, through (leave a comment on the reviews section, etc) if you are interested in continuing the story and I'll ask you to write me a small chapter about a Who related topic, just so I can see who would be best for the job; it may even be that I'll choose several writers to continue the story, and I can leave a few notes on the story should people wish to use them.

I may not be continuing it, but I still love that story very much :) .

I am also changing my username to match that of my Deviantart account, just to keep life simpler. In future my username will be Michaela-Le-Mongoola.

Sorry again for the long wait, and the crushing disappointment that is sure to follow.


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